Help me find a puppy!

[ashbeth609]

Hello all,

My husband and I have been married for almost a year (wow, that is hard to believe) and we have been talking about having babies. Neither one of us is 100% sure that we want to have kids (more like fine if it happens, fine if it doesn''t). With that said - I have been on the baby train for about a month now. My husband thinks it is funny because one minute I say lets start trying and the next I am thinking about my career and my new house and all the traveling we want to do. So basically, I am still on the fence. I also have been talking non stop about getting a cat. He is allergic so I know it would be hard for him to adjust to (taking allergy meds). So recently I have cooled down on the cat and baby talk.

Anyway, my husband just called me at work and said he thinks we should get a dog. We haven''t talked about dogs before - except he doesn''t want to be walking some little fluffy dog around our neighborhood (hehe!). I never had pets growing up because my dad is allergic so this is new to me. DH had dogs all his life.

So here is the question - what breeds should we be looking at? We just bought a 2400 sq. foot townhome with 2 levels. DH would love a Bulldog, I am just worried about him getting up and down the stairs. Something that does not shed a lot would be idea but I am flexible. I don''t want a high maintence dog, more like a lap dog.

Any suggestions??

 

[Lekde]

I don''t know where you''re located, but there is a young woman on the Project Wedding site that is trying to get rid of her brand new king charles cavalier pup. I heard they are a great smaller size dog, sweet, and smart...and not to mention ADORABLE!

Please adopt though, please don''t buy. As far as breeds, we have a 50lb pit bull/boxer girl and she awesome!! Honestly never owning a smaller dog than her, I''m not well rehersed on small dog breeds. Sorry.

Good Luck, though!! Dogs are so fun!

 

[emeraldlover1]

I was just going to post that Lekde! That king charles is amazing, I wish I could take it off her hands.

 

[makemepretty]

Definitely look into a non shedding dog, they are wonderful. After owning one(yorkshire terrier), I can''t see myself ever getting a pet that sheds again.

Do NOT get a bulldog. My sister has had three in her lifetime and the vet bills are horrible. They don''t have long lives, they''re gassy, have health problems and need so many surgeries. She spent thousands of dollars, ended up rehoming one and the other two only live to 5(cancer) and less than three(breathing problems).

A dog is a wonderful addition but remember, smaller dogs can live up to 15 years, even some medium ones 13 years or so. It''s a VERY long commitment.

 

[TripleG]

I have a Germand Sheppard Husky mix but they shed, but she is a beauty. Check out petfinder.org and that will show you dogs in your area for the size and all other features you are looking for. That way you dont have to buy and you are doing them a favor by adopting. The presidents dog type doesnt shed, same thing with any poodles. Any dog with short hair like a bull dog or pug can loose some hair but its minor I believe.

Just think of when you travel do you want to put them in a kennel/boarding, or take them with you? A dog under 20 lbs you can normally take on a plane with you and there are better rules when staying at hotels and such. So consider that when you are thinking of size. Cocker Spaniels can at times have a harsher attitude with children so if you think you will have kids you may want to be careful with those if you see them in the pound. You can also talk to the local pounds and tell them what you are looking for and they will be some of the best ones to recommend the dogs that they currently have. Some may already come potty trained if you get a little bit older and not a new puppy. Also, just to keep in mind no one should be trying to give you a puppy less than 2 months old. It needs to be with mom until this age, so stay away from any "breeders" if you do go that route who are offering that. Terriers can also be good breeds as well, or pointers, and they wont shed much depending on the type of breed.

Good Luck!

 

[ashbeth609]

Thank you all for your input!

 

[sba771]

I love king charles cavaliers but a warning- unless you are adopting one, to buy one from a legit breeder should cost at least 2k, if one is less it is a major red flag. They have a lot of genetic diseases and a really reputable breeder tests for all of those and with king charles'' their health issues, preventing them in the lines, costs a lot so that is reflected in the price because a lot of BYB have been overbreeding them. I suggest looking into a miniature pincher or husky, both are great breeds.

 

[Haven]

My best friend has a King Charles and he is adorable!

We have an Am Staff/French Bulldog/English Bulldog mix. (We know this because we had one of those blood tests done on her.) She is amazing. She is super affectionate, and really obedient. I grew up with big dogs, so I don''t know much about smaller breeds.

Please try to rescue a pup if you can. There are so many wonderful dogs that need homes.

Good luck! Being a responsible pet owner is a huge amount of work, but it is worth it!

 

[NovemberBride]

Date: 9/8/2009 2:09:05 PM
Author: TripleG
I have a Germand Sheppard Husky mix but they shed, but she is a beauty. Check out petfinder.org and that will show you dogs in your area for the size and all other features you are looking for. That way you dont have to buy and you are doing them a favor by adopting. The presidents dog type doesnt shed, same thing with any poodles. Any dog with short hair like a bull dog or pug can loose some hair but its minor I believe.

Just think of when you travel do you want to put them in a kennel/boarding, or take them with you? A dog under 20 lbs you can normally take on a plane with you and there are better rules when staying at hotels and such. So consider that when you are thinking of size. Cocker Spaniels can at times have a harsher attitude with children so if you think you will have kids you may want to be careful with those if you see them in the pound. You can also talk to the local pounds and tell them what you are looking for and they will be some of the best ones to recommend the dogs that they currently have. Some may already come potty trained if you get a little bit older and not a new puppy. Also, just to keep in mind no one should be trying to give you a puppy less than 2 months old. It needs to be with mom until this age, so stay away from any ''breeders'' if you do go that route who are offering that. Terriers can also be good breeds as well, or pointers, and they wont shed much depending on the type of breed.

Good Luck!

Just wanted to correct this, we have a pug mix (see my avatar) and we adore him, but he sheds terribly. Pugs are notorious for shedding, you wouldn''t believe how much hair they can lose given their small. That said, they are absolutely wonderful dogs.

Since you have not had dogs before, please take time to research breeds and really think about whether you want to be a dog owner or if you are just looking for something to quell your baby fever for a little while. You say you don''t want a high maintenance dog, but please remember that all dogs require a lot of work. At a minimum, any breed of dog will require several walks a day, fresh water and food, regular vet visits and possibly groomer visits as well as lots of attention and love.

I also wanted to caution you to think about what you arrangements will be for your dog when you travel, since you say you still want to do a lot of traveling. Where we live, it''s at least $40/day for a good kennel, and that can really add up depending on how often you travel.

 

[neatfreak]

Can I just add that a dog is a serious serious undertaking and you shouldn''t decide to get a dog in one day...they are very expensive once you add in vet visits, boarding if you travel without them, etc.

Please think about it carefully-they aren''t practice for a baby!

 

[sctsbride09]

Ditto Novemberbide and Neatfreak. If you really want a dog great, and do a lot of research. But if its just to squash your need for something to "mother" thats not fair to the dog . Sorry, it just sounds that way.

 

[violet3]

Date: 9/8/2009 1:43:28 PM
Author: Lekde
I don''t know where you''re located, but there is a young woman on the Project Wedding site that is trying to get rid of her brand new king charles cavalier pup. I heard they are a great smaller size dog, sweet, and smart...and not to mention ADORABLE!

Please adopt though, please don''t buy. As far as breeds, we have a 50lb pit bull/boxer girl and she awesome!! Honestly never owning a smaller dog than her, I''m not well rehersed on small dog breeds. Sorry.

Good Luck, though!! Dogs are so fun!

I have a cavalier king charles spaniel - and I would agree that they are wonderful smaller dogs for someone who is more of a big dog lover. I''ve had big dogs all my life, but live in a small condo without a ton of room. I did a lot of research, and found the cavalier breed - they are really sturdy in terms of taking a long walk or playing fetch with a tennis ball, but are also completely willing to snuggle right next to you on the couch. If you are looking, I would highly recommend this breed.

Ditto the others who''ve said they can be very pricy, however. The information is correct that the less expensive puppies may come with health issues in the future (as any of them may, i suppose).

 

[dragonfly411]

I wanted to chime in and say that we have a yorkie mix who we absolutely love! She is smart, doesn't shed, loves to go for walks, climbs stairs easily and is really amiable. She's insanely smart and sometimes it seems like we're talking (in a way we are, I've figured out what she means when she's "talking" to me most of the time). She wines to go out, growls to play or for something to eat (no mean growls, you can tell the diff), barks to play or barks when she wants up on the bed, and sometimes she'll just "talk" to talk. She understands go potty, get on the bed, jump, jump up here, what is it, what, what do you want, tell them, get him, go outside, come in, be still, give me a kiss ( yes... for real... and she kisses on your face), eat that, they'll get your treat, and various other sayings. She potty trained herself, was rarely crated, has had very few health problems although yorkies do require teeth to be pulled sometimes b/c of their jaws. I cannot say enough good things about the yorkies. SO's mom has one and he's verrry similar. They'll bark at things that are "scary" I.E. doors slamming, but they'll bark until you say it's ok, or no more, or no no, then they stop. They are very very intelligent little dogs.

ETA - She also picks treats (the other yorkie does too), she'll actually use her nose to push a treat back towards you if she doesn't want "that one". She'll go through the line till she decides on one lol.

 

[ashbeth609]

Thank you all for your responses.

I just wanted to say that we are not taking this lightly. We have been researching a lot and have already discussed how our lives will change. I am aware of the level of responsibility raising a puppy requires. And of course I am not going to make this decision in one day.

We are fortunate to have both of our families less than 10 minutes away and we have done pet sitting for them. They have already told us they will return the favor.

I hope you all didn''t get the wrong idea about me. I am not an impulsive person and will think about the life of the dog as well as how a dog will change our lives.

 

[princesss]

I would do a lot of breed research and then reach out to rescue groups (you can find breed-specific groups or your local SPCA). You''ll get a great pet from there and have the added benefit of saving a life. Breed-specific rescues are great because they generally have gotten to know the animal, and will find a dog that suits your family''s needs (e.g. not a hyper dog if you guys like to hang around and watch movies).

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Ashbeth, it's good to hear that you're taking this decision seriously and aren't getting a dog to replace those "I want a baby" feelings. Still, if you do this right, it will take you a great deal of time.

What my husband and I did was start by taking a couple of months to read as much literature as possible about what we wanted from a pet. We knew what we didn't want (no terriers, nothing under 60 lbs., breeds that were great with kids, not independent-minded etc.) so we honed in on the working group pretty quickly. After that, we went to a number of dog shows and just watched the handlers interact with the dogs. We sort of quickly fell in love with the breed we ended up with, but even at that point we were just beginning. After that we started going to events hosted by our local breed club and from there started visiting breeders we liked in order to get more one-on-one time with dogs just to make extra-sure it was the breed for us.

That took somewhere around 8 months? After that, we started honing in on the exact breeders we wanted and had to meet the parents of every planned litter, which took many more months. At that time, you start weathering the storm of planned litters and disappointment if a breeding doesn't take, etc., not to mention if there is a waiting list. From the time we picked up our first book to the point we picked up our puppy it was around 2 years.

There is a lot of thought that goes into choosing a dog that is right for you and your possibly-growing family and, as you know, it's a huge responsibility. Good luck with the adventure!

ETA: We recently got a second dog and even though I had a huge leg-up from the first time around (active in our local breed community, good friends with my favorite breeders, etc.) the process still took about a year.

 

[stephbolt]

Check out the breed selector on puppyfinder.com - gives you lots of good info on the needs of different breeds and how a dog will fit into your lifestyle.

 

[Yimmers]

Dogs are great

If you find a particular breed, try looking for local rescue groups of that breed. There''s also dogster, a "friendster" type website for dogs. They have general breed information. Some breeds, like a Bichon Frise, have different coats, so they don''t shed as much as other dogs. My co-worker has a hairless rat terrier for her allergic husband. He even got to travel to Paris on a trip with them (well traveled dog!)

Make sure you get any dog into dog training classes with a certified positive reinforcement trainer (there a lot of bad ones out there, and avoid those "trainers" with the chain pet stores, like Petsmart or Petco - but that''s a story for another day). It''s to help socialize your dog, train both you and your dog, and hopefully stop or prevent bad habits from really setting in. You will find making the transition will be much easier.

This is our dog. The SPCA claimed he was a Tibetan Spaniel mix. But he''s probably got papillon, chihuahua, or pomeranian in him. It''s hard to say. He''s got huge radar ears. We got him as an adult, and he has some issues, but we''ve worked with a great trainer who has helped us tremendously. My prior dog, was also adopted at a SPCA, but he was an owner surrender and had terrible separation anxiety (poor guy). We had great years with him.

 

[philly317]

i have an english bulldog and he is the best! So funny, entertaining, and FULL of love! If your husband doesn''t want to have to walk a dog around everywhere all the time a bulldog is the way to go! They would prefer to be cuddled up on the couch between you sleeping most hours of the day and night Just be sure to do your homework and get it from a good breeder to reduce the risk of any health issues. I will never get another breed!

 

[basil]

Cavalier King Charles spaniels are wonderful dogs, no doubt about that. They come with just one warning - they pretty much all die of mitral valve disease (a genetic defect in the breed) at relatively young ages. My best friend Pepper died one year ago of just that...after 2 years of pills, injections, xrays, ultrasounds, and many trips to the vet. She was 10, and the vet told me that we were very lucky that she made it that long...she has seen many as young as 2 with severe disease. We bought from a reputable breeder...it''s just a problem in the line and my understanding is that there is no way to particularly avoid it, and every Cavalier will get it eventually.

Anyway, we are in the process of finding another puppy...we couldn''t and wouldn''t get another Cavalier because my own heart could not take that heartbreak again. My husband has had problems with allergies in the past so we wanted a nonshedding breed and we live in a condo, so a small dog would be best. But I wanted something a little bigger than a Yorkie or Maltese.

We finally settled on a Malagasy Coton de Tulear...they were imported from Madagascar by one guy in the 1970s, and he is a biologist. He has aggressively maintained health records on all the Cotons and documented their problems, and all the breeders that are registered in his registry have to conform to strict standards. Obviously nothing is a guarantee, but I just feel so much more comfortable knowing that there are no glaring genetic faults in the pup''s ancestry...which is pretty rare for a purebred dog in the research that I did. They have a "cottony" non-shedding coat, and range between 8-15 lbs typically. I think that they might fit your husband''s definition of a "little fluffy dog" so it might be a no-go...but I don''t think any of the small non-shedding breeds would be any different!

 

[Puppmom]

I hate to be the buzz kill here but PLEASE think through the pros and cons of adding a dog to your family. It is a lot of work and not for everyone. I have several friends who adopted on a whim and regretted it.

On to the fun part...I''m personally a big dog person. We have a Rhodesian Ridgeback and couldn''t be happier. He''s awesome! They''re definitely not the breed for everyone. If you''re planning to rescue, I think you should just find a dog you connect with. There are tons of breed specific rescues if you decide you really prefer a specific breed.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Cass]

Obviously you should do a ton of research for yourself, but, I will chime in with what I think are the greatest dogs EVER! And I''m just going to have to go with Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

I have two. Lucky is almost 3 and Brett just turned 2. Up to this point their biggest health problem they have had is an ear infection. They are gentle with kids, love everyone that walks through our door, enjoy their walks, love to play fetch and learn new tricks, but when it''s time to relax, they just want to be right with you. I can never imagine owning another type of dog. Yes, they shed, but it''s a lot less than my cats!

Good luck finding the perfect dog for you and your husband, IF you do decide to get one.

 

[dreaming of the day]

We have been looking at puppies a lot lately too, and our favourite is a Havanese. We have friends with one, and he is just such a wonderful addition to a family. He is smart, cute, playful, cuddly, and hypo allergenic (he doesn''t shed).

They are really wonderful dogs, and they usually weigh around 12-15lb''s. The perfect size to be a lap dog, but still active.

 

[wsu12]

Boston Terrier..I have an almost 3 year old male that lives in our 800 sq ft condo. He does not require grooming (hair clipping), sheds minimally, super smart, affectionate, easily trainable.... Hands down the best animal I have ever owned. As an added perk they happen to be adorable.

 

[jaylex]

Date: 10/28/2009 9:00:10 PM
Author: fsu1227
Boston Terrier..I have an almost 3 year old male that lives in our 800 sq ft condo. He does not require grooming (hair clipping), sheds minimally, super smart, affectionate, easily trainable.... Hands down the best animal I have ever owned. As an added perk they happen to be adorable.

I second the BT. My dad has one (he got him when I was 14.. so i was around him a lot) and he is the most adorable dog with the best personality.
boston terriers aren't known to be excessive barkers which is nice.. Rockey doesn't shed a lot and he is extremely intelligent. My brother (who was 12 at the time) was able to teach him 5 tricks in one weekend! They love people and are very sweet and friendly.

They do tend to have allergies and can get cold in the winter.. ours does anyway. But we just put him on a special diet (hypo-allergenic food) and my dad has him wear sweaters when he takes him out in the winter.

They are also GREAT with kids so if you guys do decide to have kids down the road, that would def. be a plus.

Boston Terriers are great dogs! Go check um' out



ETA:
My dad also has horrible allergies to cats (and most dogs). But he's fine with Rockey! He even sleeps in my dads bed with his little head on the pillow and the covers up to his neck! lol. He's like a little person.

 

[setell]

Well I am biased but I love my little boy, he's a maltese. He'll be a bit bigger then the standard AKC weight as he's already 5.6lbs at 4 months but I love him. I wanted a slightly bigger maltese. I love how he doesn't shed and just great for his daily grooming. I hope you are ready for all the responsibilities of owning a dog. Dog sit for friends/family for like a week or the whole weekend so you get a feel for having and being around a dog. We knew we wanted a maltese as I've wanted one for a while (FMIL has a maltese that I love!).

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

We have a beagle .... HIGH MAINTENANCE but super cute, cuddly and fun. I would suggest a Bichon Frise. They don't shed, are super smart, playful and nice temperament. My parents have a Yorkie and he is nuts - very cute but super hyper and stubborn... The best dog I ever had was the Bichon.

 

[Amzizzle]

I own a bulldog,he is in my avatar.I love him very much and would definitely get another one in a heartbeat.I have to say though the vet bills are high with things like skin infection and eye infections.We also feed him a more expensive food,that cuts down on him being so gassy.

He is a very well trained bully as well,but without proper,consistent training they can be out of control.You have to be willing to put in the effort and really spend time getting educated on training.It is definitely a breed of dog only meant for SOME people.I think they are incredibly loving and one of the best dogs around,but I would definitely educate yourself,however I also have a mini schnauzer (he is 12years old) who is amazingly receptive,is hypoallergenic(doesn''t shed),and had very few health issues.They can be a little barky but are overall very good dogs,and sturdy.They are not fragile,and have pretty good life spans.

I hope I helped a little,and best of luck!