[quote]Hagar wrote: Do not get this dog Cattle dogs need a shit load of exercise. [/quote]
Aussie cattle dogs or shepherds do indeed require at least an hour of exercise a day. An hour walk is nothing to these dogs. They need to go to the dog park, chase a ball, or run sprints.
My wife and I stay on either side of the blocks and keep calling our dog, who runs like a madman back and forth. We have a dog park nearby, so he goes there, too. And we take him for an hour hike (off leash) three times a week. Oh, and we throw in a lot of walks.
They are great, loving, intelligent dogs, but they are not for everyone. They are very high maintenance. Unless you’re willing to put some serious time in every day for the next 13 years, the dog will give you mucho grief.
[quote]Jacked Diesel wrote:
I obviously would love to buy a great dog like a german shepherd or a doberman, but I have been thinking that maybe adopting a dog in college would be a better idea.
My suggestion is to take this time while you are in the apartment and do some more research. Talk to breeders, owners, and visit the shelter, then decide what breed of dog you want. Don’t let it be an impulsive decision. If you decide to get a German Shepherd or a Doberman, great. I love GSD’s.
Just make sure you give the dog the attention and exercise it needs, as well as plenty of socialization. I hate hearing about how mean GSD’s are when 99.9% of the time the only problem is the owner. I also highly doubt you want a skiddish or aggressive GSD or Doberman.
Don’t buy a dog based on size or looks. Research the breeds and their different personalities. Get one that fits you and your lifestyle. Yes, every dog has their own personality, but there are some common traits among breeds.
Also, unless you are ready to buy your own place, understand that some breeds may make renting a place more difficult.
I had a GSD in an apartment, walked her twice a day for an hour at a time, went hiking on weekends, and would sneak her into the office if I had to work late or weekends. I never had a problem, but I had to do a lot more legwork to find a place, and was willing to live wherever I had to, not necessarily the hippest neighborhood or the easiest commute.
“In the US where the Triple Champion title refers specifically to a dog that has conformation, obedience and field trial champion titles, there are only three dogs with this Triple Champion title and two of these are Vizslas (a Vizsla was the first to garner this position). One of these actually has five champion titles �?? covering conformation champion, obedience champion, field trial champion, field champion and working champion. She is well on her way to her sixth (agility).”
In addition to looking at the dogs needs, look at your lifestyle as well. Would you have a child at this point in your life? Cause that is what you are basically doing when you get a dog.
Best dog I have owned yet waqsw a pit I got in Guam. Son of a fighter, gentlest and goofiest dog I’ve ever met, but still very protective without being aggressive, if that makes sense(there is a huge difference). He loved to run, and got out of the house two Christmases ago, and got hit by a car. He woulda been 9 this Feb. I don’t think you’ll find a dog as loyal as a pit if you raise him right, especially if you have kids(obviously you don’t, I’m just saying). He basically acted as if our kids were his own pups(proper socialization/pack dominance training), and I never worried a bit that he would ‘turn’ like people say pits will.
That being said, you will need to exercise him lots, and socialize him very well from the moment you bring him home, to avoid any problems. A well socialized pit(assuming from decent breeding) will rarely show aggression toward humans, unless in a protective role.
If your lifestyle can’t accomodate that kind of work(even though it is lots of fun), you will want to look for a lower activity dog.
We adopted a retired greyhound when I was in HS, and he was the most docile creature I’ve yet to meet. But like was said of huskies, if the door swings open, you’ll find him four blocks over in a matter of minutes. They need very little exercise, and will sleep almost 24/7 like they are resting up for a race or something. Not the most affectionate dog, if that is what you are looking for.
Alright, first off, boatguy, it took me forever to read your post because of your avatar, absolutely amazing.
Second, the dog I keep hearing over and over again is a pit. Pits are dog’s I know the least about, mostly because of the bullshit you hear in the news, but every run in I have had with a pit has been the opposite. With that being said, what is the difference between the pits?
[quote]Jacked Diesel wrote:
I obviously would love to buy a great dog like a german shepherd or a doberman, but I have been thinking that maybe adopting a dog in college would be a better idea.
I think it is a great idea to pick up your first dog from a rescue or a shelter, and hope you follow thru with it.
I love the Aussie cattle dog breeds, but they’ve got their quirks. They are a very intelligent breed and often times too smart for their own good. I find them to very obedient and easily trained. However, if they get bored something is going to be destroyed. My blue healer dug up a 30ft soaker hose then chewed it into 18inch pieces.
My red healer has anihilated a dozen of those indestructable Kong chew toys and torn a garden hose off of the nozzle thinking it a great game of tug-of-war. The pair of them together dug a trench in my then-girlfriend’s 3ft deep x 4ft wide x nearly 12ft long all in pursuit of a mole.
On the other hand cattle dogs are the most atheletic dogs I’ve ever had. I take my two everywhere. And have absolutely loved raising them over the last 10 years. By the way they don’t out grow their destructive behaviors.
I have 2 dogs, a lab/chow mix and a german short haired pointer. Both dogs were strays picked up by my dad at seperate times. The pointer was gun shy ( to bad, too. Some hick must have dumped him when he found out) but he has turned out to be the funniest dog iv ever seen. He gets nervious easily and shakes like crazy till you call his name and he starts jumping around and barking lol. My labchow is fat and always sticks by me. So idunno about “best” dogs but i think mixs/strays can be great pets. Plus if you get one from a kill-shelter your saving a life and getting a best friend.
Lots of good advice here. Make sure the dog you’re getting will be happy in the living situation you provide it. A dog will be loyal to you to the last beat of his heart, you owe it to them to provide at least some semblance of the environment they crave.
From my personal dog experience, you definitely do not want any type of retriever if you’re in a confined space. Unless you’re going to schedule 3-4 hours of wrestling time with them every day, there’s just way too much energy to deal with.
The yellow lab in this pic is mine, isn’t she cute? This is one of her calmer moods…
I have a pit/lab mix, and a chihuahua. Honestly I never thought I would like the chihuahua, but I happened to get stuck with it and now I love the little bugger. His attitude still amazes me. And the pit/lab mix is great also.
[quote]Jacked Diesel wrote:
I have decided I will be getting a dog during the upcoming spring. I live in an apartment on the first floor and have a mini yard.
So what suggestions do you guys have? I like larger medium sized to big dogs. Some of the dogs I have been thinking about are Doberman Pinscher’s, German Shepherds, Great Dane’s, Husky’s, and Labs. Let me get some input.[/quote]
Most of those dogs mentioned would be terrible in a mini yard. They need more exercise than most owners can give them and it would be cruel to the animal.
Personally the Boxer is my favourite dog. I had one that died 2 years ago and I haven’t been able to get a new one due to an unsuitable yard. I’m looking into British Bulldogs as a few people have already mentioned. They would be well suited to a smaller back yard and are a heap of fun.
Aussie working dogs are probably not in your best interests too. Being a Australian country boy I have had the experience of working with these dogs on farms. For 12 hours a day they can round up sheep and when they get home, they still have energy to burn. If they are not working, they tend to look for action. IE rounding up kids in the back yard. Funny to watch, but not much fun for the kids. All my farmer friends love their dogs but as far as them being a pet in a mini yard, I would not advise it.
[quote]Mod Laurie wrote:
SBT wrote:
I can’t tell you what kind of dog to get - just do a bunch of research and you’ll find the breed that is right for you.
But I will say that I love my Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
I love my Staffies too…tough looking but as loveable as can be. :)[/quote]
Staffies are very popular here in Australia, and from what I’ve seen of them, they are a high energy dog and crave lots of attention and affection. They’re like compact balls of pure muscle and energy, very strong for their size.
Not my kind of dog, but most people who own them love them. I think if I raised one from a puppy I’d love it though.
