- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Parenting
outnumbered
member
Dog people: I need your help
outnumbered
member
in Parenting
My husband and I have decided that our family is ready for a dog. I am not even sure where to start. We would like a mid sized dog (no fluffy white ones). Our yard is partially fenced and 1/3 of an acre. We are willing to finish fencing if the need arises. I am home (work very part time) and able to walk the dog a lot. We are also able to put in the time to get the necessary training. We have no allergies in the family, but I would prefer a dog with hair.
TLDR: What kind of dog would you suggest for a family of 5? Do we get a rescue? If not do no how do we find a good breeder. If we do get a rescue how do we review the dogs history? So many questions...
Smiley: April '05 Rocky: May '06 Tex: July '09
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Dog people: I need your help
If you go the rescue route, you'll probably not get a puppy. You may get a young adult, but probably not a puppy. You'll also typically not know the history of said dog. However, if you want a specific breed apply to the breed rescues. Which you will typically find on the breed club website. Expect a long interview process and to have many places deny you. Good rescues have very specific parameters to allow you to adopt.
Then there's always the option of going to your local pound and picking a dog. This can have great rewards, but can have huge drawbacks. All depends on what you want as a family.
Once we found one we wanted, the rescue agency required fostering for a few weeks to make sure it was a good fit. Five years later & she's still such an awesome dog for us.
She's a part weiner dog, part either Italian greyhound of whippet, about 17 lbs and awesome with our daughter.
Suggest also looking for a rescue, you can go to Petfinder and search your local area. You can actually find lots of full breed dogs if that's what you want, it lets you search by breed.
The one breed I would suggest staying away from is Jack Russells, they are very headstrong and not very good with kids generally speaking. My mom has one and it terrorizes my nieces.
BFP#1 1/31/12, EDD 10/6/12 Harrison Gray born sleeping @ 18w6d. You changed our lives little guy.
BFP#2 EDD 10/29/13, C/P 2/25/13, Bye little Ish, we barely got to know you.
BFP#3 EDD 12/21/13, Baby Boots born 11/23/13 My rainbow baby!
January PAL Siggy Challenge: Good Advice
I would look at humane societies but more specifically I would look at Petfinder. So many of these places have transports available to get the pup to you. Depending on where you're located, I got our first dog (the gray one in my sig) from a rescue called Bright Hope Animal Rescue in Tennessee and they transported him up north to us. The other dog, the black one in my sig, came from a rescue called PAWS in Marion, Arkansas. Check them out on Facebook if you can.
Local rescues near you will be willing for you to meet with dogs and match your family to a good pup personality. Do some reading on how to pick a dog with the right temperament too, it's important to know what to look for.
If you have a Tractor Supply near you, they usually have rescues that come in during a weekend day to advertise and they'll bring dogs in to meet potential families. That's how I found one of mine.
Good luck with the search. Dogs are the best!
Many times only "hobby breeders" will own both the sire and dam.
If you want to go the reputable breeder route, getting a "pet quality" dog (does not meet the conformation or working standards) on a pet contract (you have to neuter) can be a great way to get a dog with a solid temperament and good health line.
How about daily brushing?
I won't tell you what I think you should do, only what I would do in your situation ...
Background: we have had 1 purebred from a breed-specific rescue (adopted at 2yrs old), 1 mixed breed from the Humane Society (adopted as a puppy), and 1 purebred from a very reputable breeder (our current dog, acquired as a puppy).
Knowing what I know now and what we have gone though, I would likely NOT get a puppy. Puppies take a tremendous amount of work and are really difficult as your first dog experience (you didn't state this was a first dog, but I made the assumption). There are also no guarantees that they will be good with kids just because they grow up with them, and that can lead to heartbreaking situations later on.
I would likely look at dogs that are currently being fostered through a rescue organization (breed specific is fine, but there are many that are not breed specific as well - there are lots of mixed breed dogs that are awesome). As PP stated, foster organizations will typically work with you to find the right dog for your family. It's also really nice to have someone currently caring for the dog who can speak to you about the dog's true personality, challenges, and strengths.
tl;dr - If this were me, I'd find a nice mixed-breed dog through a rescue so that I had access to information about their history and temperment, and I would definitely avoid a puppy as my first dog.
Married to my amazing wife 6/12/10
TTC since 6/11
Unmedicated IUI #1 - 6/28/11 - BFN
Unmedicated IUI #2 - 7/25/11 - BFN
Robotic Myomectomy (Fibroid Surgery) - 11/15/11
Unmedicated IUI #3 - 4/24/12 - BFN
Progesterone Supported Leuteal Phase IUI #4 - 6/21/12 - BFP!!
Baby Boy G Born 3/24/13
On to #2, are we crazy?
IUI #1 - 11/28/14 - BFP! Beta #1 (11DPO) 34, Beta #2 (13DPO) 101, Beta #3 (20DPO) 3043
Ultrasound at 6w4d shows a single, fluttering heartbeat. Say hello to Sticky Ricki!
I can be on to give you some advice later!
The key there though is work. Puppies are tons of work! It's like adding a baby at first. If I was in your shoes I'd go down to the shelter or local rescue and pick up a young adult. You know, those dogs ages 6months-2 years. All the hard stuff is done, but things like training can always be done (and is encouraged). I'd probably pick some sort of lab, boxer, or mix there of. You'd want something that wasn't super high maintenance grooming wise like an aussie or a retriever, but still fairly energetic to keep up with hiking and what not. For your first dog, that is what I'd do.
I LOVE both of my rescue pups.
Labs are generally family friendly as well, though higher energy.
There are a ton of other breeds, I'd do some research as PP's have suggested and then visit some shelters to meet some dogs.
Have fun!!! Enjoy your new addition!
We humans are all mutts and a mix of many different cultures, countries and heritages.
I've had "brand name" dogs and I've had mutts. Both were always wonderful family companions and truly a part of the family. All of our mutts were a little more laid back and had fewer health problems over the years than a couple of the pure breeds.
Check out the different temperaments of breeds and their personality traits to see what would fit your family the best. Then hit the shelters and start looking for that one (or three) that just grab your heart and beg you to take them home and love them.
Puppies are wonderful, playful little bundles of joy. A dog that's a year old is much easier to take care of. Smaller dogs tend to live longer than large dogs, so consider that in your search also.
Some breeds need hours of running a day and then work/training/active brain time. Even two long walks a day wouldn't cut it.
When I mention the breeds below, also consider crosses. For you, I highly recommend a dog in the one to two year range. You haven't had a dog in awhile and with kids, adopting an adult dog from a good foster home will let you know what you're getting. Even well raised puppies can be surprises (more active or more fearful or less patient than you hoped). A grown dog is old enough for long hikes and lots of playtime and needs less training and is past the biting stage.
Would you consider a greyhound? They're larger but they're lovely dogs who tend to the lazy side.
A poodle won't shed and they are great dogs. Smart and playful and active. They'll need more exercise than a greyhound, but a greyhound may be on the lazy side for you. I'd get a standard poodle if I were you. You don't have to do the "poodle trim". Remember that not all poodle crosses inherit the poodle coat.
I love pits, but they're the current "bad breed". If you rent or may rent during the dog's lifetime or may move to an area where they are banned, consider another breed. Pits are usually laid back and great nanny dogs.
I love corgis but they tend to be shedders. Big ones.
Would you consider a collie or a sheltie? Sometimes can be barky, but they're smart and friendly and fun.
Labs can be great if you pick a typical one. With their popularity there is a huge range. Some are huge and super high energy, but they cannot be beat for trainability. I learned to train with other breeds and never liked labs until I trained my first one. They're so easy to train that I fell in love.
Don't discount a dog like the Pomeranian. I know many people who hike with their poms. Same with yorkies. Great little dogs.
I'd stay away from the following breeds. I love these breeds but they're high energy and do best with a job and from your posts, you wouldn't burn enough energy or be able to provide them with an appropriate job: border collie, Australian shepherd, cattle dog... Really, most hounds or herding dogs don't sound quite right.