Dog Owner Chat v3 ~Open!~

[Starwalker123]

I love coming home to my dog he missed me so much

[renki]

Thinking of getting another dog, but not sure which breed to go for. I am looking for a working breed
I am looking into moving and getting a dog wont happen until I have settled into my new home. Which would be an apartment life, but the location I am looking at has a very close agility club.

Fields I am looking to get into is therapy work, agility, barn hunting, tracking, and maybe protection work. Protection work is up in the air, but I know I am looking into also doing tricks.
This means the dogs size would have to be around 40lbs

I am looking for a breed that will get along with other animals, because with being a therapy animal its going to be near other animals and people.

giving it a work out isnt much of a big deal. I am fairly active and good at training. One of the first things I will work on is being around a bike.
any suggestions?

[Blu Malinois]

A few weeks ago I signed up for a beginning agility class at our local dog obedience club. Ace and I have taken three classes from it already. We have done basic manners, beginning agility, and intermediate agility. I felt that intermediate was a bit too fast of a step for Ace, though, since I need to get him more used to following me off lead when 8 or more other dogs are around us. He's also terrified of the teeter totter and dog walk, so I want to change that before we go back to a higher level. Anyway, the class was yesterday! I took Ace an hour early and had him do his business at the dog park, run around to burn off some excess energy of his, and meet a few new doggies. Then when the instructor arrived, he let us practice jumps for a few minutes before class started, since we are the only ones in the class who have done agility before. Then the class started and, even though it was all easy, it was fun! Ace was very well behaved, I met new dogs and people, and I was able to have Ace walk along the teeter totter while it was collapsed, which is a perfect start! I can't wait until class next week!

[.kestral]

Hey guys, within the next few months I will probably be looking into getting a dog and was hoping you could help me narrow down what would be good for me.

I currently live with my mum, three bedroom house, two decent sized gardens. Both well fenced and secure. Within the next year I plan to be moving into my own place, likely a flat in this area. This area is full of public parks, dog parks, footpaths through fields, plenty of places to take a dog for them to enjoy.

I work 20 hours a week, usually on an evening when family are around, so the dog would be alone very little. The potential pet would live inside the house, having free roam of house and garden when people are home and regular walks.

I prefer big dogs, I dislike terriers and small dogs. I don't mind shedding, I don't mind brushing them regularly, I don't mind whether they are high or low maintenance. I earn a decent wage, enough for me and the dog to live on happily, comfortably and with reserves for vet bills and emergencies. I am already saving so purchase price isn't a problem. Would most likely feed raw.

Personality wise, I would prefer a dog that liked to be moving, one that's happy to go on long walks and to relax a bit after. One that's happy to play but can also be settled when needed. If I were to get a dog I would take a few weeks off work for its first few weeks with us to ensure its training was started well.

[the fragile]

I'm sorry but working breed + apartment life do not mix unless you would be willing to invest in a slatmill or the like and devote LOTS of time to exercising and mentally stimulating your dog. A little bit more than just agility work and being "fairly active".

I have a gamebred APBT and keeping her exercised is, no joke, a 24/7 job, and that is with a back yard to run in and another dog to play with.

Honest suggestion: go to a shelter and get a mix breed because they can do literally everything you just listed off. My other dog is a boxer/doberman mix whom I got from and highkill shelter, we have competed successfully in agility, bitework & schutzhund and he is a trained protection dog. Unless you plan on breeding or getting very serious with one given sport, there is literally no need for you to try to keep a working breed in an apt. I'm sorry. No offense. I've seen one too many people think they can handle a high-level dog in a situation like that and it turns into utter disaster.

[Jazi]

Eh well, it CAN work, it's just not the easiest thing to do. A lot of conditions have to be met for it to work and you have to be really devoted to it. I've done the working breed working dog + apartment life before and I can't say it was EASY, but it wasn't impossible. I moved into an apartment in IAmLink's house and again, it's not EASY, but we make it work and honestly I think Creed is happier here than he was when I was just living at home with my parents.

My dog is a working bred doberman, goes to his protection club regularly, we train every day for something, and he is on duty as my service dog whenever we are out or when I am having an episode. He's given plenty of things to entertain himself with and we are out and about with him whenever I'm not bedridden with my disability. He's not a pet dog and definitely not one that would be a good fit for a pet home (not that my breeder even sells dogs to people who aren't going to show this much dedication), but we make it work. It's a little less about having a backyard, and a little more about having a dog with a decent off switch or teaching your dog to settle as long as their needs are met.

[.kestral]

I don't know if that was aimed at me, but 90% of flats here have gardens, I would never consider one without one for the dogs sanity.

[Imzadi83]

Hey guys, within the next few months I will probably be looking into getting a dog and was hoping you could help me narrow down what would be good for me.

I currently live with my mum, three bedroom house, two decent sized gardens. Both well fenced and secure. Within the next year I plan to be moving into my own place, likely a flat in this area. This area is full of public parks, dog parks, footpaths through fields, plenty of places to take a dog for them to enjoy.

I work 20 hours a week, usually on an evening when family are around, so the dog would be alone very little. The potential pet would live inside the house, having free roam of house and garden when people are home and regular walks.

I prefer big dogs, I dislike terriers and small dogs. I don't mind shedding, I don't mind brushing them regularly, I don't mind whether they are high or low maintenance. I earn a decent wage, enough for me and the dog to live on happily, comfortably and with reserves for vet bills and emergencies. I am already saving so purchase price isn't a problem. Would most likely feed raw.

Personality wise, I would prefer a dog that liked to be moving, one that's happy to go on long walks and to relax a bit after. One that's happy to play but can also be settled when needed. If I were to get a dog I would take a few weeks off work for its first few weeks with us to ensure its training was started well.

I would recommend getting a adult dog from a shelter or rescue. You will be able to find one that meets your requirements and an adult will already be settled into itself you you'll know what you'll be getting personality wise. If this is your first dog you may want to try out being a foster parent for a while. This will expose you to living with different dogs and may make it easier to know which personality type is what you want.

Honestly though if you are planning on moving with the next year I would recommend holding off on getting a dog of your own until you do move. It can take up to a year for a dog to settle into it's new home and moving is very stressful for an animal. It will be especially hard for the dog to have a whole family of people and rarely be alone to being left alone in a new place while you work, or do you have some other plan for when you move so the dog isn't alone?

I would also look into finding a dog trainer now before you get a dog. Ask if you can observe some classes. Not only will you have someone you like in case problems arise but they may be able to actually help you pick out a dog when the time comes.

[.kestral]

I have had 9 dogs in my life. My most recent being the world's most hyper rottie x lurcher. That my ex stole and I can't get back

My main priority is the shelter route. Giving a home to a dog that needs one would be important to me. I will be moving with friends who work very different schedules to me so canine wouldn't be alone any more than he would at mums.

[Imzadi83]

I have had 9 dogs in my life. My most recent being the world's most hyper rottie x lurcher. That my ex stole and I can't get back

My main priority is the shelter route. Giving a home to a dog that needs one would be important to me. I will be moving with friends who work very different schedules to me so canine wouldn't be alone any more than he would at mums.

Sorry about your dog you lost to your ex.

That's good. That give you more options. You could contact shelters and rescues that you would feel comfortable working with and tell them what your looking for in a dog, they may be able to put you on a list and let you know when they have a dog in that might fit your lifestyle. I know that happens a lot in my local shelter, many dogs don't make it to the adoption floor or online because they're adopted early but someone who was on a waiting list.