Puppy Buying Advice (Good breed for first dog?)

[MaryTres]

Hello everyone,

I am currently looking into adopting a puppy and was wondering if there are certain breeds that are better to start off with. Obviously, training any puppy will require a tremendous amount of time and effort however my breed of choice has always been a German Shepard which I've heard is particularly difficult breed for a first time dog owner. Any advice??

[riverwed070707]

Lots of shelter dogs need good homes. The breed doesn't determine how good the dog is, the time spent training them does.

[bjl584]

I have a chocolate lab, and he is one of the most mellow, happy go lucky dogs that I've ever had experience with.

He was a bit of a pain the first year until he was trained and settled down a bit, but he is good as gold now.

You will need a fair amount of space for this breed, as he is big and needs room to roam and exercise.

[rennigade]

IF you like to stay indoors then find a dog who is not too hyper...and likes to sit around all day and chill.

If you like to be outside a lot doing a lot of activities find a dog that can go on long hikes, likes to play, etc.

[ua_guy]

A stuffed dog. Saves money, and looks great sitting on the couch.

[MaryTres]

A stuffed dog. Saves money, and looks great sitting on the couch.

LOL! ill give that some consideration

[rennigade]

Lots of shelter dogs need good homes. The breed doesn't determine how good the dog is, the time spent training them does.

Unless you start with a puppy unfortunately you have no way of knowing what you're getting yourself in to from a shelter dog. Theres a lot of sh*tty pet owners who sucked at taking care of their dog and now that dog has some serious issues. No different than a terrible parent raising a child who grows up to be a toolbag.

Im all for adopting a shelter dog but its a flip of the coin.

Also to OP...dogs are a lot of work and expensive...again unless you suck at being a pet owner. They need walked a lot, they need attention, they need medical care, dog food, toys, grooming depending on breed. You wanna go on vacation? If the dog cant go with you need to find a place for it. IF you're like me I would skip a vacation rather than boarding a dog. I personally think its gross but people do it. If a family member cannot watch my pet then the vacation would be off the books. Lucky for me our families love our dog.

Also...for those who have a dog. Gotta love when people say "its just a dog, it'll be fine or who cares." Op...sure you want a dog?

[natasha.cornelius]

dogs

I'm glad to hear you're adopting. So many puppies need good forever homes.

Any breed will need an owner dedicated to training, unless you adopt an adult dog who has already been trained.

I've grown up with a Boxer, a German Shepherd mix, a husky mix, and now I own an American bulldog/pitbull mix. All were/are great dogs! My mom recently adopted a German shepherd puppy who is VERY headstrong and needs extra training, but she's a softy so that's probably why he's so strong willed lol.

If I were you, I'd go to the local shelter/humane society or where ever it is you plan on adopting and look around. The right dog will jump out at you, and then you can ask the workers about the breed's characteristics to see if it would be a good fit for your lifestyle.

Good luck!

[scfr]

For a first time dog owner, I strongly recommend adopting an adult dog from a reputable rescue group that places dogs in private foster homes or small "group home" type situations. Most of these rescue groups pull dogs from shelters and then the foster works with the dog on socialization and training. An experienced foster will be able to give you a good assessment of the dog's temperament, strengths and weaknesses, where they are in their training, and what the adopter can do to help the dog continue on the path to becoming an excellent canine citizen.

I recommend adopting a dog that is at least 1-1/2 or 2 years old. Then you won't have to deal with potty training, puppy chewing destruction, or the "terrible teens." This will make your first-time dog ownership much easier. Adopting a dog younger than that can work, but only if you are really committed and do your homework.

Adopting from a rescue group that fosters is going to be more expensive than going to the shelter and getting a dog. That is because the reputable rescue groups I know put a LOT of money in to the dogs they rescue, mostly veterinary care.

Stop and think about what you really want in a dog, and decide if you are willing to commit to spending an average of 2 hours a day on the dog (walking, feeding, grooming, going to the vet, providing medical care when ill, shopping for, etc, etc), and if you're willing to commit to care for the dog physically/financially/emotionally for the rest of its life. How much exercise are you willing to give the dog? How about grooming? If it's not an easy-groom dog, are you willing to take it to the groomer? How do you feel about having dog fur shed in the house and on your clothes? If you work out of the home or travel, how will the dog be cared for when you are away?

If you haven't spent a lot of time around dogs, offer to petsit for friends when they go out of town. This is a big, serious decision. If you aren't 100% sure, wait.

If you decide to proceed, look for a dog that has been in foster care for awhile so that the foster has had time to work with him/her and really assess their character. Look for an experienced foster. Look for an honest group that will tell you not only positives about the dog, but also the negatives.

I know you asked about specific breeds and I said nothing about that. But without knowing more about what you want in a dog, it is impossible to say. Why do you say the German Shepherd has always been your breed of choice?

FWIW, this is a topic where I have some expertise.

[Fishindude77]

From experience I believe that good old mutts make much better pets and are typically smarter than the pure bred dogs. Seems like they have bred these "pure bred" strains of dogs (yorkies, labs, poodles, goldens, etc.) for so long that they have bred the brains out of a lot of them. Plus you can pick up a good old mutt at the shelter and be doing some good.

[Butterscotch]

You could adopt an adult dog that is already house trained. There are some really nice German Shephards at shelters. An adult dog at a shelter is a bad dog and generally you can adopt and if they don't work out you can return. You could inquire about fostering before adopting...the shelters are always looking for fosters because they run out of space.

[Jluke]

What size is your home?

How big of a yard do you have?

Is the yard fenced in?

Will cleaning dog hair on a daily basis get old?

Will you get upset if the dog ruins rugs, furniture, etc?

If you are rescuing, you could start with do I want a "big" dog, a little dog, or something in between.

I ask b/c we "rescued" a great dane in January 2012... he is now 4 years old, 85 lbs only, and has always been a high energy dog (so much for gentle giant). my backyard is torn up so I have to put straw in the dirt paths each month so he tracks less dirt in the house.

I had to put up a fence ($5k); replaced the carpet in the family room with a vinyl tile that looks like hardwood (3k) - the carpet was old anyways. he lives in the family room and kitchen; had to put gates in the kitchen so he doesn't roam the rest of the house.

we take a short vacation (3-4 days) and have to coordinate people to watch him.

I would do it all over again....

Big dog, bigger problems. little dogs, little problems (minus the exceptions!)

Hope those considerations help.

[snafu]

We've always had a dog. Grew-up with largish Kerry Blue terriers, known as 'comedian,' among dogs. Really smart, fun to train, very protective of their peoples. When we 1st married we 'fostered' a Dachshund whose owner was repeatedly hospitalized. We ended up owner giving visiting rights. They're small enough to live in an apartment and can be taught a few tricks but are really as dumb as a door. Best is they need very little grooming, problem is they can have expensive medical back issues if in-breed .

All our dogs were rescue adults from the city pound, SPCA, or breeders who were planning to 'put-down' females who were no longer suitable to breed. Currently have rescue Bichon/Shih zhu puppy, very smart but needs daily brushing and tooth care plus very expensive seasonal professional cuts.

Choosing a dog is incredibly personal. Somewhat like a relationship with a spouse or SO. What do you need? What will you willingly give? It's really important to understand the pros and cons of the different breeds of interest. Most rescue /SPCA/city shelter-pound will encourage prospective owners to come spend time with the dogs. I too believe mixed breeds are smartest and rescues appreciate their human offering more love than you can imagine...somehow they know they slipped the bullet. I'd never buy a dog from a pet store in a shopping centre. Those dogs most often come from puppy mills and horrendous conditions. Reputable breeders offer the very best of breed and usually guarantee health for a specific time-frame. You can spend time with the puppies parents and better understand your dog as a adult.

You need to know how much time you can give daily. Big breeds need several brisk walks or off leash park visits daily to keep from being bored and making trouble. You need to be ok picking up poop. You need to decide the 'rules' in your home and they must be enforced...no relaxing the rules as dogs will take a mile if you give in an inch! Just like a teenager, they will constantly test your barriers and your will.

I'm sure you'll be surprised by how much you spend on a dog. I hope you'll avoid cheap dog food full of corn and unsuitable fillers. It's like feeding kids a constant menu of junk food. You will need to read the labels, particularly the 1st four ingredients. It's a good idea to have the chosen dog checked by a vet. Find out in advance which shots the dog has had and time frame for necessary or repeat shots. Vets often pad the bill by adding a few extra shots quicker than ideal. I suggest having your dog spayed/neutered and tattooed. Does your community require registration and tags?

You need a crate/kennel large enough for your dog to sprawl, turn around. I suggest a pet cover for the back seat of your vehicle as well as a couple of different types of leads suitable to size. We also have a doggy 'bed' in the living room so that the dog knows where he belongs. People on sofa & chairs, dog in his spot able to see what his peoples are doing.

The library likely has the set of DVDs and books like 'Dog Whisperer' to help you through the process.

sorry so long and wordy...

[FrugalFish]

Wow, there is so much good advice in this thread.

I just wanted to add my personal experiences with the aforementioned German Shepherd... The first dog we ever owned was a lab/German Shepherd mix with that also aforementioned headstrong nature of the German Shepherd. You can make the argument that all dogs are individuals, but the breeds have been bred for characteristics such as that one. She was not a good beginners dog (she was a stray that showed up and we kept...), she was headstrong and hard to train, but the most loving and loyal dog I've ever known. She was kind and gentle with children, but could be downright mischievous with adults, she was incredibly smart. She was also high energy and required LONG walks and lots of exercise- a very hands-on dog.

A friend of mine adopted a German Shepherd from the shelter and had many of the same headstrong personality issues to deal with. She ended up dropping her son at school each morning and then taking the dog to a park for an hour or two to wear off energy. Like a lot of other breeds, they have the capacity to be very destructive if not well occupied.

Since you don't have a lot of experience with dog ownership and breeds, I agree that a rescue would be your best path. They will help match you up with a dog that suits your family, activity levels, and has a personality that clicks with you. I've always been partial to lab mixes, but a few years ago at a festival, stopped to visit one of the local rescues and almost fell in love with a bizarre looking mixed-breed who-knows-what?- but definitely not a drop of lab in there. If I hadn't had the cat situation I'd had at the time, I probably would have looked into the possibility of adopting him. Sometimes you don't know what's right until you see it

[natasha.cornelius]

Sometimes you don't know what's right until you see it

Couldn't be more true! Sometimes you go in thinking you know the type of dog you want, and then soulful little eyes peer up at you that don't have a drop of the breed you thought you wanted and you just can't resist! (Can you tell this happened to me??)