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I just had a customer come through the drive thru with the teeniest little dachsund puppy, and it was the most adorable thing I've ever seen. It's his daughter's Christmas present. What a lucky little girl.
I still remember the year I got my guinea pig. He was my favorite present ever. And Chet and I have been talking about getting a dog since this summer. I may have to ask for a dog for New Year's. (We're out of town for Christmas, and the in-laws' is probably not a great place to be house training a dog.)
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When my sister and I were little, we begged and begged for a dog. We got guinea pigs instead. I still loved them. And now I miss the ever-present smell of the cedar chips in my room. But now we have a dog. Posts: 2149 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Chet and I had been talking about getting a Boston Terrier. From the American Kennel Club:
quote: The Boston Terrier is a friendly and lively dog. The breed has an excellent disposition and a high degree of intelligence, which makes the Boston Terrier an incomparable companion.
Boston Terriers do well in apartments so they're one of the few breeds I could justify in my place since I have no yard. Plus, they're sharp as a whip, and if I get one from the Boston Terrier Rescue of Florida, I'll be helping a dog who might otherwise have been put down. And if I'm lucky he'll already be housebroken. Posts: 2283 | Registered: Dec 2003
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posted
*sigh* impulsiveness really does run rampant around the holidays.
(Note I'm not saying that any people posting are impulsive, this is just the 2nd "I want a puppy" thread in so many weeks.) Please take careful consideration of the kind of dog you choose realizing that you will have it for at least the next decade of your life as a member of your family, including health screenings of the parents for OFA, PRA, etc as it applies.
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Avid, I'm glad you've done your homework. Remember however that rescues can come with a variety of negative behavioral issues as well, and toy dogs as a whole are suceptible to broken limbs.
(Note: rescue is a noble purpose and I strongly support it.. but all things aren't always necessarily hunky dory for the animal otherwise they wouldn't be in rescue!)
AJ
(and that looks like an excellent rescue organization you've linked to. Beware however you may not get an animal by "New Year's" Especially with smaller dogs the waiting lists can be long if applicants are equally qualified.
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AR, that is an EXCELLENT idea. We're loving the puppy we got a month ago, but there have definitely been times I've wished we'd gotten a rescue Boxer instead of a puppy. Lord, they're so much work! I have no idea how either one of us would raise her by ourselves... but then, with Libbey, since she's going to be a large, strong dog, there's the added sense of urgency to her training... Not only do we have to housetrain, socialize, and survive her teething and teenage phases, we also have to keep in mind that she's soon going to be a big dog that a lot of people are afraid of. So we have to ingrain those good manners pronto, before she playfully jumps on someone and knocks them over.
I think our next dog will be a rescue, although I may reconsider once Libbey matures into a wonderful adult... but rescues can often be dogs that were well-raised and well-loved, just dumped because they became teenagers at around 8 months old, or because the family moved somewhere where they couldn't have a dog, or because someone became allergic... a lot of people even give up their dogs when they become pregnant, because they're worried about the kid. Which is silly. But it means you can get an awesome, well-adjusted mature dog for cheap, and save the poor thing from euthanasia in the process. It's a great system.
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Our dog Licorice, who died in August, was a fox terrier. I don't know how fox terriers line up with bostons, but we really enjoyed him. A fox terrier was actually recommended by our vet because we had kids and not a ton of room at the time. The only con to the breed seemed to be an excessive amount of energy, which wasn't a problem for us since we had kiddos who loved to play.
We would have definately gotten another fox terrier but at the time it was a bit too painful. Our lab mix that we got from the shelter has been wonderful too. Good luck in your search; it's nice to see people doing research before deciding on a pet. Believe me, it will pay off.
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I can't believe I missed the other puppy thread. Good point about the waiting list, AJ. But then, I'd be happy if Chet and I sat down and had a serious conversation about starting the adoption process and puppy proofing the house by New Years.
Zeug, Chet had a black lab as a kid so he was pushing for a big dog. The only big dogs that would survive an apartment are the kind that would sit on my couch and never leave room for me. The Boston was his compromise dog. (I wanted one of those toy Malteses. )
Posts: 2283 | Registered: Dec 2003
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*grin* well I'm biased. A Cardigan Corgi http://cardigancorgis.com will do fine as an apartment dog, though it depends on the line, and individual temperment, but a breeder is pretty able to tell which puppy will be the "couch potato". And they are *big* in attitude despite their small stature. And they aren't really *small* in size, running 30-40 pounds, even though most apartments won't complain about them cause they don't realize how much they weigh. I lived with my two in an apartment for a year. Especially in a warm climate where you don't have to stand in a doorway freezing while they go outside and do their business there isn't much of a problem. But in a cold winter a fenced backyard is nice for kicking them out and shutting the door and staying warm!
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AR, if you decide to get a puppy instead of a rescue, there are a whole lot of things you have to know before you start looking for a breeder. Purebred dogs like Bostons are suceptible to a whole heck of a lot of health problems, and you need to make sure you find one that runs specific genetic tests on the parents before breeding. A few rules of thumb: never buy a purebred puppy out of the classifieds. Any breeder who cares enough to health test their dogs doesn't need cheap advertising, they have a waiting list of people who want puppies from them. Avoid "breeders" who just buy two pets and leave them intact, letting them mate whenever the bitch comes into heat. Not only do they not health test, but they also tend not to care about temperament or breed standards, meaning you could end up with an unusually ill-behaved dog that isn't really a Boston.
There's a whole list of other things to watch out for, but basically, be aware that you have a lot of homework to do. I researched dogs and boxers and puppies for a month and a half before we got Libbey, and I was still totally surprised by how exhausting it is to raise her.
Of course, I feel like it's all been worth it when I discover she's already learned to come, sit, lay down, and "leave it".... so it has it's good moments, too. Posts: 1681 | Registered: Jun 2004
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posted
While I'm not a sighthound person myself, whippets and greyhounds are also very good for apartment life, though teaching them to lunge for 5 minutes a day to run off their energy is a good thing. (just throwing out other ideas) There are some pretty big rescue organizations for those breeds in FL too.
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Thanks for all the ideas. A friend of ours has a greyhound. She's a little prima donna who sits with her paws crossed on her own little couch. Adorable.
Zeug, no matter how old I get the dog, I'm still going to call it a puppy. My mom's is over ten and dying of water on his heart, but I still call him a puppy. Posts: 2283 | Registered: Dec 2003
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My son wants a frog for Christmas, but I think he's going to get a rat, mouse, or hamster instead. I checked out frogs, and if you want them to live, you have to pretty much leave 'em alone. Shouldn't handle them, that is. I'm thinking my son will not really enjoy a pet he can't handle at least some. Maybe I should get him a snake. He loves creepy crawly critters. I draw the line at scorpions, tarantulas and milipedes, though. *shudder*
Posts: 5948 | Registered: Jun 2001
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My mom always drew the line at pets that eat pets, which makes anything that eats mice against the rules. The hedgehog (which a student gave her, they were going to kill it) was almost against the rules but I spent hours saying anything you could buy at a bait shop was not a pet (meal worms).
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote: Zeug, no matter how old I get the dog, I'm still going to call it a puppy. My mom's is over ten and dying of water on his heart, but I still call him a puppy.
Heh. My sister has a cat, and she and her roommates call him "puppy".
Posts: 2149 | Registered: Aug 2000
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A retired racing greyhound is one of the finest apartment dogs you can find. They are calm, hardly shed, don't smell, don't bark, sleep all day, and really need hardly any excercise. They are crate-trained and quiet, and complete affection-sponges. Plus, you will be saving a dog's life. My mom's greyhound is the Best Dog in the World.
Edit: This is really Avadaru. Russell's been on my computer.
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ahhh-I saw the I want a puppy thread and I had to reply even if it was a little late. I REALLY want a puppy...unfortunately, I have to wait till I am done with school and have a yard or a house or something (no I dont have to but I am making myself because when I get my dog I want to do it right). It still doesnt mean I dont want a puppy really really bad. I have done my research and I know the kind of dog I want (border collie) because I like their attitudes and I would really like to get into agility training or at least obedience. It's gonna be like another 6 years before I can get my dog . Still, every time I see a dog it just makes me want my puppy even more....I cant wait! Posts: 306 | Registered: Jun 2003
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quote: I read that greyhounds liked to run and needed space
That's a common misconception about the breed. People usually think that because they were bred to run and race, that they need more exercise than the typical dog. A dog that has never been on the track will probably have more energy than a retired racer, but not nearly as much as say, a Lab or a Doberman or a Cocker. They are by nature very calm, laid back dogs. Most retired racers take their retirement very seriously, and will much rather sleep all day than go outside and romp around. That's why I recommend the breed as an apartment or city dog - a brief walk once or twice a day is sufficient, though it would be good if once a week or so the dog could be allowed to stretch its legs in a fenced area. They do enjoy running, but greyhounds are sprinters, and have short bursts of speed but very little stamina. Any energy they have is usually burned off in the first couple of minutes of running. My mom's greyhound doesn't even like to walk to a nearby field anymore -- the walk is enough for him, and a brief run will tire him out to the point that he will sit down and refuse to go any farther. Posts: 1225 | Registered: Feb 2002
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As a person who has always had "mutts" (mostly cats but also a few dogs when we were children), I'm curious why so many people want a purebred dog or cat. It seems like dog people tend to care more about breeding than cat people, but that might be my misconception.
Is it because dogs have such a wide variety of sizes, abilities, and temperments compared to cats? So that to have any idea at all what you are getting, you have to narrow it down a lot further than just "mutt"?
It seems like all the various genetic defects from the severe inbreeding that most purebred lines have undergone would be a huge negative factor. Mutts seem to have so many fewer genetic defects! Also they seem in greater need of rescue, since they might be less desired by many people just from a standpoint of looks.
I hope it's okay for me to ask this question, because I truly don't understand this. Of course I've never chosen my animals, they always chose me. So I'm probably coming at the whole issue from a different perspective than most folks. Can anyone explain?
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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ak, I think you're pretty much right. We're all for getting dogs from shelters and rescues, and probably will next time, but this is our first dog, and there were lots of specific things we wanted. We wanted a practice kid that we could raise together, hence the puppy, and Mark wanted a Boxer, specifically, for a variety of reasons. With purebred dogs, you can be pretty sure about the kind of dog you're getting... you know about how big they'll get, how energetic they'll be, how long they'll take to mature, how they'll be around children, how they'll be around other people, how they'll do in different settings, etc. There's just a long history of personalities behind each breed that you can use to predict what your dog will be like.
With a mutt, you just really don't know. What were the parents like? Will it be more energetic, or more of a couch potato? Will it be good with kids, or agressive? How big will it get?
But yes, mutts do tend to be a lot healthier, that's just basic genetics. Human children are also healthier when their parents are from wildly different genetic backgrounds. So it's a tradeoff.
Posts: 1681 | Registered: Jun 2004
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We're looking at getting a yorkiepoo. Why? Because I hate drool and dislike shedding hair, and they always seem nicer than pure poodles. Plus they seem to enjoy car rides, which is necessary for us right now.
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Dagonee, the trick with poodles is to get a Miniature poodle, not a Toy. The Minis have IMO far better temperments than the Toys. And you *have* to get it from a good breeder. I'm always suspicious of the crosses, because very few of them are bred by breeders with any scruples whatsoever. If they haven't done at least CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation) checks on their dogs you should be suspicious. Or ask them about brucellosis. If they haven't heard of it or say it isn't necessary to get checked for their stud dogs, once again be suspicious. Most of them are out to make $$$, which is why luxating patellas are becoming huge problems in small dogs. (Do you really want to spend thousands in operations later, when a few hundred dollars more in research and perhaps driving time at the outset could have preventted it?)
Actuallly frequently, in small dogs, the responsible breeders are cheaper than the puppy mills. Whatever you do, do *not* buy an animal at a pet store. Not only are pet store puppies notoriously overpriced, no matter what they try to say to you, those animals are from puppy mills because no responsible breeder will let their animals go to a pet store. They feel that part of being a "responsible breeder" is meeting the future owner and evaluating them for suitability. Generally a responsible breeder will be able to temperment match a puppy to your needs as well. They've observed the litter through out its development, and know what personality traits each puppy has!
I have a friend who got a Miniature Poodle because of allergies and has thanked me ever since for suggesting it. Minis are actually about the size of shelties. Not nearly as tiny as the Toys and a lot hardier overall, IMO. Shrinking them to Toy IMO caused a lot more health and mental problems than it is worth (once again IMO, there are plenty of happy Toy owners out there.) You can still do well with a responsible breeder but in the Toys especially you have to be very, very careful.
Eve's family had hunting dogs that stayed in outdoor kennels when she was little. I've never had a dog at all. So neither of us has much information on dogs suitable for apartment/townhouse living.
A quick search shows they like lots of attention - will they be happy if left at home alone during the day?
As we get closer to buying, I'll be online for specific help. I need to arrange for a pet-friendly apartment complex in Charlottesville first, so May is the earliest we'll do.
posted
Charlottesville is in North Carolina right? The AKC headquarters is in Raleigh. Let me think about your needs for a while. As far as the attention issues. I'd certainly reccommend crate training, because that will prevent the dog from being destructive while you are out of the house. It's safer for both them and you. As long as you give it plenty of attention while you are home it will be happy.
I *strongly* recommend "The Art of Raising a Puppy" by The Monks of New Skete as a good pre-puppy purchase book. It will give you things to think about, that you wouldn't have thought of otherwise and you'll be glad you did. (Especially since you've never had a dog as a pet before.)
quote: Whatever you do, do *not* buy an animal at a pet store. Not only are pet store puppies notoriously overpriced, no matter what they try to say to you, those animals are from puppy mills because no responsible breeder will let their animals go to a pet store.
A small aside -- our local PetSmart opens up space for showing Humane Society dogs and cats. Of course, they tend to be mutts. But I was willing to buy our cat there because they refuse to sell bred dogs and cats (which would be kitty or puppy mills, certainly).
Posts: 2919 | Registered: Aug 2004
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I like the idea of a mutt, both for dogs and cats. But the hair thing is pretty serious for me.
Don't worry, we'll by from an AJ-approved breeder or rescue a puppy from the pound. I'm leery on that for a first puppy, since having the support of a caring breeder would probably be a very good thing.
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Grin Sara I'm all for *adopting* and that is one of the good things Petsmart does do, even if they've got a lot of fairly unethical corporate business practices. (Ask Lead.)
However with Dags as a first time dog owner, I'm glad he can see a supportive breeder would be a wonderful thing.
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Just wanted to say my vet has a rescued retired racing greyhound who hangs out and greets us when we go in - he's the best dog!
I don't have a dog currently - got rid of my last puppy when I realized I was being a terrible dog owner. He went back home to live with the family he came from. With everything going on with the kids and the hectic schedules we have, I just wasn't home enough to properly train and care for the dog.
I now have a no more pets rule. We're just too wrapped up in our kids and our own schedules, and any pet that came in would be neglected, I fear.
Well, we do have fish - do they count? Saltwater aquarium keeping is my husband's hobby. We have two clown fish and a damsel right now, and about to add some more fishies. We just finished the long process of getting a new tank acclimatized, or whatever you call it.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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I love dogs, but I won't get one until I've got a relatively large place of my own, since I want big dogs. I love Labradors (yellow, naturally), and I've always been enamoured of Huskies. But again, not yet. Definitely not yet. Though I do have my first three dog names picked out: (in order of appearance) Cerberus, Frodo, and Odysseus.
Toy dogs are silly. They're so little - how are you supposed to cuddle or play fetch with frisbees or avoid stepping on them?
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
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I did register some guilt for the purchase. We don't buy other things at PetSmart, but we do occasionally stop in to see what new products are out.
*hangs head
I like to say "Hi" to the kitties. Gussie very unethically stole my heart and had a perfect history to be a companion to an older male cat. (Had been rescued with an older male buddy, very friendly, other cat had already been adopted.)
[ December 20, 2004, 02:37 PM: Message edited by: Sara Sasse ]
Posts: 2919 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Ah, that's what I meant to do today! We've got this awesome local pet store here (several, actually) that we really want to support, but they don't carry the yogurt drops that we use for training treats. I keep meaning to see if they'll stock them, so we don't have to go to Petsmart. Libbey doesn't like it much there, anyhow. Which she expressed by peeing on their floor. Posts: 1681 | Registered: Jun 2004
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Sara, it all depends on what you wish to feel guilty about. And life is too short to feel responsible for all the ills of the world. I do shop at Petsmart occasionally as I do at Walmart. Don't beat yourself up about it. Jake has a particular kind of squeaky ball that is his favorite, that can *only* be found at Petsmart, and even then not all the time. And they offer a lot of services like vaccinations at very reasonable prices, that make it more affordable for people to own pets. So it isn't the end of the world.
posted
My boyfriend's up to something. He just stopped by to say the store's over it's hours and he and the crew are having to cut some time. Then he said he had somewhere he had to be.
"Oh, where are you going?"
"I have to go get something," he said wearing his I'm-up-to-something grin.
"Christmas shopping?"
"Something like that."
So it's obviously something for me. But it sounds like something he's not trying to keep secret. Could it be a puppy?
On the one hand, I'd love to have a dog. The dog would have to go for a walk every evening and I'd be forced to get off my lazy butt and get some exercise. On the other, I've had the plants in because of the weather and the house is trashed. Not to mention we'd have no idea if it would be housetrained and we're going to his dad's for the weekend. Great idea, lousy timing.
It seems to me like surprising someone with a puppy, especially around the holidays, is a lot like coming home with a truck full of lumber and saying, "Surprise, honey! We're going to add an addition to the house!" Sure, taking on a major home construction project can be a lot of fun, especially for people who are prepared for it, but it's also a lot of hard work.
We've had our puppy for a little over a month now, and honestly, I'm probably taking the responsibility of raising her a little too seriously. I am hugely invested in shaping her into the kind of adult I want to have, so practically every decision I make carries a lot of consequences, at least in my head.
Still, though, even if you don't really care if the adult is well-behaved or not, raising a puppy is a lot of work. Our lives have completely revolved around Libbey since the minute we picked her up. We slept very little the first week as she was getting used to her crate, we make approximately 25 to 30 trips outside every day for her to go pee (though this has been tapering off as she ages), we come home from work twice a day to let her out of her crate and play for an hour, and our entire evening is spent playing with and exercising her. There is very little time to even eat a meal, let alone go out and run errands or have some non-dog-related fun. When we're home and she's out of the crate, at least one of us must be watching her At All Times, or she'll pee on the floor, chew on electrical wires, push open doors to rooms she's not allowed in, or otherwise act like a crazy puppy.
So. It's a lot of work. If your bf does come home with a puppy, don't be too discouraged by this... Puppies are still a whole lot of fun, and remember that my puppy is from a particularly active breed. You'll have a great time with it. Just don't try to fool yourself into thinking that life post-puppy will be anywhere near as carefree and relaxing as life pre-puppy, at least not for about a year.
Good luck! Maybe he's just getting you a ring or something. Those are pretty easy to take care of. Posts: 1681 | Registered: Jun 2004
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Chet and I have been dating for eight years now, since my sophomore year of high school. We've been living together for two years now, and the subject never even comes up anymore.
A ring. I'd settle for a conversation about what we expect a marriage to be like. Or that we intend to get around to it some day.
Posts: 2283 | Registered: Dec 2003
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Oooh. Well, after three years I had an oops. Ciara apparently was in "silent" heat for most of last week, even though you normally count from the first drip of discharge.
So I let them out in the cold for 5 minutes to potty and when I call them in they are "doing the deed" Now in dog breeding a "tie" occurs where they can be stuck together for up to an hour. To attempt to separate them can damage one or both of them. So they were stuck together and I had to get Steve to help me carry them into the house. Jake's breeder isn't upset with me because she knows I've been as careful as I can be, and she's had an oops or two herself. So anyway we may have puppies in 63 days, around February 23. I was planning on breeding them eventually, but I wasn't exactly thinking *now*.
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. Still, every time I see a dog it just makes me want my puppy even more....I cant wait! ![[Dont Know]](graemlins/dontknow.gif)
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A ring.
