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Getting a Dog in Jan/Feb, recommendations?

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Apartment living, need a quiet dog but not a lazy dog. ULTIMATE IMPOSSIBLE MIX.

Also ill probably hit up an adoption center for the dog since the cost of a pet store dog is too much and fuck, its just the right thing to do.

Mostly need to know what to keep an eye out for. This wont be till next year but discussing the prospect rox.
 
Try to stay away from small dogs, or anything that was originally bred for looks. They tend to be stupid and yippy.

Also, if you're hitting up an adoption center, ask questions about the dog's past and behavior and stuff. A friend's family once got an Airedale that had been with an abusive owner. For almost a year, the dog would stand at the top of the steps and bark at me when I came over.

That's all I got.
 
I got a Boston Terrier about 8 months ago. He rocks!

Active dog, max weight will only be about 25 lbs and he isn't very loud. I doubt you will be able to find one in a shelter...my girlfriend and I went to the local SPCA for a month or so and they didn't have any dogs we liked.

Here is Akuma at about 10 weeks old. He is about 20lbs right now...about 8lbs bigger than the picture. His other ear is pointy now too ^_^

akuma.jpg
 
Get a cat. Dogs are amazingly annoying if you don't have a yard of your own to let them out in. Especially small dogs since you're in an apartment. Every time water touches the dog's tongue you'll have to take it outside to piss.
 
i would stay away from adoption centers. My sister and a few friends got dogs from there and they end up being really stupid and needy. Plus, at least out here, they make you neuter the poor bastards. Find someone who just had a litter and ask for/buy a puppy instead. I would recommend anything bred with a german shepard. I've owned german shephards or shephard mixes my whole life and they are very smart and obidient.
 
Terriers of all shapes and sizes kick ass. They were bred for hunting and sporting, so they're generally a very energetic, intelligent animal. Since you live in an apartment, the relatively small stature of a Jack Rusell Terrier, or other small terriers for that matter, might fit your lifestyle, although the dog will require a lot of exercise and attention. Terriers in particular will tear your house apart in minutes if left to their own devices; they require a lot of attention and training if they're to become good house pets. Since you're looking for an intelligent dog that isn't lazy, a terrier of some sort would be my recommendation. Compact, smart, lively, and not prone to aggressive behaviour like many larger breeds, the terrier's a great type of dog to pick up.

Plus, at least out here, they make you neuter the poor bastards

Breeders will do the same thing too, but for different reasons (namely, they want to preserve the blood line). Getting your dog neutured/spayed is actually a really good idea since,

a. You don't have to worry about a shitload of puppies down the road.
b. Your dog will become less enamoured with the opposite sex.
c. Your dog most likely will mark his territory less than before.
d. Your dog will liekly be less aggressive.
 
MrAngryFace said:
I just need quiet, I dont want to be one of THOSE people in an apartment

My latest addition to my arsenal of fighting dogs is an Airedale Terrier, which took roughly 7 hours to transport here by car. It didn't bark or bite once during the entire trip. A big part of its good temperament is its individual traits I specifically chose when picking it out of the litter. Another part of its good temperament comes from its terrier heritage. The breed's important, but dog's are individuals -- something we need to remember.
 
My dog is a smooth Fox Terrier and he is the smartest fucker without getting trained I've ever seen. I like the Fox Terriers they're are not big but no too small either, they are very intellegent and they aren't ugly good mix if you ask me.

Here is photo of one
Smooth_foxie.jpg
 
shit. demi stole my post!


Anyway, get the biggest, slobberiest, most awesome dog you can find. The kind that's really cool and loyal to you, but intimidates the rest of the neighborhood and gets drool all over anybody who comes over!
 
We had a lhasa apso when we were kids, and that dog was awesome. He was on the smaller side, but he had a cool look to him, and he had a deep but not loud bark. He was a good watchdog though, but he was under control.
 
My kelpie-cattledog cross (female-desexed) has a beautiful nature, very friendly and likes people etc. But those breeds are both working dogs so she needs a lot of excercise and play. Make sure you take that kinda stuff into account....just about every dog needs a walk every day but some need a lot more excercise than others.
 
We have an American Eskimo... small, very quiet, friendly, energetic, etc.... of course ours is retarded but I blame that on his mom and pop dog parents...as oppose to blaming it on his mom and pop human parents. ;) We purchased him from a breeder a bit after christmas last year.
amesk.jpg


BTW get health insurance for your dog... trust me you'll thank yourself for it later.
 
Everyone forgets that puppies CHEW EVERYTHING in the first year.


I hope you don't have nice furniture or knick knacks ... because they will have nice little gnaw marks all over them in no time.


Also, isn't it kind of cruel to keep dogs inside all the time as house pets? I mean some dogs in the Toy group are bred for that, but dogs should be outside animals.
 
Just one thing:
Also ill probably hit up an adoption center for the dog since the cost of a pet store dog is too much
Then how're you gonna cover vet bills, then? Dogs ain't cheap either way.

Getting back to the questions, as far as breed is concerned, I recommend ferret :D
party38rz.jpg
 
fennec fox said:
Just one thing: Then how're you gonna cover vet bills, then? Dogs ain't cheap either way.

Getting back to the questions, as far as breed is concerned, I recommend ferret :D
party38rz.jpg

Ferrets are adorable - my friend Chip got one a few weeks ago (named him Dante after our friend from DMC)... I'm just wondering, what's the effort needed to maintain them? Are they dirty or a fairly clean animal? Leave lots of hair around?
 
OpinionatedCyborg said:
Breeders will do the same thing too, but for different reasons (namely, they want to preserve the blood line). Getting your dog neutured/spayed is actually a really good idea since,

a. You don't have to worry about a shitload of puppies down the road.
b. Your dog will become less enamoured with the opposite sex.
c. Your dog most likely will mark his territory less than before.
d. Your dog will liekly be less aggressive.

Furthermore there is

e. Your dog won't be prone to genital infections that come along later in life and can lead to kidney failure. Not something fun to go through.
 
ToxicAdam said:
Also, isn't it kind of cruel to keep dogs inside all the time as house pets? I mean some dogs in the Toy group are bred for that, but dogs should be outside animals.

That is what I was thinking. I have a friend with a Yorkie in an apartment, and that is cool as that dog probably thinks she is in a mansion, but anything bigger would want more space to run and play, right? Just a thought.
 
ToxicAdam said:
Everyone forgets that puppies CHEW EVERYTHING in the first year.

While a lot of it does depend on the dog, I've found that if you give them lots of stuff that they're supposed to be chewing on, then they'll leave your stuff alone. Dogs are going to want to chew on stuff no matter what, so as long as you give them praise when they chew the right thing, and scold them when you catch them chewing the wrong thing, there will be a whole lot less "bad" chewing incidents.

Both of our dogs have a constant supply of rawhide chews, and whenever they feel the need to go knaw on something, they hunt down one of those and chew away for a couple of hours.

Also, isn't it kind of cruel to keep dogs inside all the time as house pets? I mean some dogs in the Toy group are bred for that, but dogs should be outside animals.

Again, it depends on the dog. We've got a Miniature Scnauzer and a Beagle who are both perfectly happy to sleep on the couch/bed all day. and as long as there's stuff around the house to keep them occupied, they're happy. I think a big factor is how much attention they get when you are home. Both of our dogs get plenty of playtime, which keeps them pretty happy and mellow, but whenever we don't quite have the time to give them as much attention as usual, they start getting a little fussy.

I just need quiet, I dont want to be one of THOSE people in an apartment

Again, a lot of it depends on the individual dog. Sure, some breeds are more prone to barking than others, but all dogs bark. There's no guarantee that a certain breed is never going to bark at random noises that it hears outside or anything. You can definitely keep it under control through good training, though.
 
Everyone's first impression of a Pug is that they're ugly. Everyone who owns one knows that they are the greatest of the small breeds. Very loving, very loyal, quiet (I also live in an apartment) and they have personality.
57240e7d.jpg
 
ToxicAdam said:
Everyone forgets that puppies CHEW EVERYTHING in the first year.

I hope you don't have nice furniture or knick knacks ... because they will have nice little gnaw marks all over them in no time.
That's funny we haven't had that problem at all... the only thing he chews is occasionally one of our daughter's toys that gets left on the floor(and that's a very rare thing) ... but alot of them could pass for his toys so I'm not surprised... and like some other folks mention we give him chew toys, bones and such that he knows he can chew on without getting his ass kicked....

Also, isn't it kind of cruel to keep dogs inside all the time as house pets? I mean some dogs in the Toy group are bred for that, but dogs should be outside animals.
Depends on the dog, and not just toy group dogs are good indoor dogs.
 
djtiesto said:
Ferrets are adorable - my friend Chip got one a few weeks ago (named him Dante after our friend from DMC)... I'm just wondering, what's the effort needed to maintain them? Are they dirty or a fairly clean animal? Leave lots of hair around?
I'd say they require about the same effort as cats or dogs if you wanna do it right. They aren't like gerbils or anything. You can litter train 'em (they're arguably between cats and dogs in intelligence), and they shed twice a year on a pretty regular schedule -- otherwise, no.
 
You are probably asking for breed recommendations , but that depends on your lifestyle. I can really, highly recommend crate training though. Proper crate training (not just stowing away an animal all the time) keeps your dog from learning bad habits, because whenever he/she is out of the crate, you are watching. They also practically potty train themselves this way. Though small dogs are supposed to be harder to potty train (regardless of the method).

It also creates a safe place for your dog to be alone. It's like his/her den. I harrass my dog a lot so he will be used to being poked, prodded, petted, anything without pulling an attitude with anyone (and it is a lot of fun heh). When he is sick of me, he takes a toy and goes into his crate to lay down and be alone. I only close the door when I am gone or just can't watch him at that moment (Im in the shower, or sleeping, ect).

Eventually, when he is a year or two old (depending on the maturity of the dog/breed), you can start leaving the crate door open when you are gone, starting with small intervals of time and moving up. The idea is, because he only had proper toys to play with when you were gone, that when he/she is mature, they will only play with proper toys instead of chewing furnature and getting into trouble. That's the theory anyway heh. I haven't got that far, but for potty training, and keeping him out of trouble when I can't watch him, it has been great.

It is also nice if you need to take your dog on the road, or to a family members house. Many hotels won't let you have a dog unless it is in a crate when you are out of the room (if they allow dogs at all).

Anyway, maybe you've had other dogs on your own, and know all this stuff. But I didn't, and maybe it is helpful to you. Also, if you are going to adopt, keep breed specific rescue organizations in mind as well. You can get some really nice dogs either way on the cheap, and keeps them from getting PTS in many cases.


EDIT:

OH, and try the clicker. I worked with my dog for hours doing simple things they showed us in puppy kindergarten. Even just getting him to go into his crate on command was confusing for him, and frustrating for us both. Using the clicker, it literally took us 5 minutes and he has been going in on command ever since. It is such an awesome communication/training tool.
 
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