should i get a puppy?

Question

my dog that i had for 12 yrs just died in february and i want to get a puppy (either a border collie, german shepherd, or golden retriever, let me know if you know anything about any of these) but my mom says we dont have time cause i work and have basketball, but i find myself a lot of times wishing i had a dog, i walk a lot and i would be able to walk it. The thing is, my dog before knew to stay out of the road and to stay on the property, i live on a busy road out in the country tho, about 2 1/2 acres, no fences. However we have had someone just walk into our house (havent been robbed but after this i see how easy it would be) and the cat doesnt really seem to even let out a single hiss... so i feel unsafe and have never felt like this until about march.. anyways thanks i know this is long but just wanted to know everyone's opinion about owning a puppy and having a busy life.

another one i was thinking of but forgot to put was a australian shepherd. Also im a sophmore and my mom works at the college near us and i get to go for free, and was planning on saving my money by just living at home instead of on-campus. I have also told her some of these things about it protecting the house. (she did look in the paper at puppies one day without me asking so i think im beginning to get somewhere) Lately where i work there hasnt been anything for me to do so i've been at home all day, also i only have weightroom 3 times a week for an hr in the morning and scrimmages for 2-3 hrs 2 nights a week and a open gym for 2 hrs... and thats basically my whole summer except the 1st week in july, and for me this isnt very busy at all so i think this is the perfect time to get a puppy if im going to get one ;)

Answer 1

The problem might be getting a puppy at your age. As dogs live for 12-14 years, you don't know where you will be just 6 or 7 years from now.
You see, your mom will most likely have the pup when you are away to college, and until you can afford housing that allows a big dog, after you graduate and marry.

A pup in the country is a good thing, to guard the place, and be a companion, but your mom is the one to decide whether she wants another right now... Is she ready to take over the long country walks and all of the care when you can't do it?

Answer 2

Hi,
I am sorry to hear that you lost your dog. I don't know anything about two of the breeds that you are considering, but I do know a little about a golden retriever. My neighbor had two and they were really nice friendly dogs and they were good watchdogs too.

Maybe you should get an older dog (not too old, but a grown dog). Then you wouldn't have to go through what you'd have to go through with a puppy. I agree with you that your dog could walk with you and both of you would enjoy it. However, I can see your Mom's point too. A dog needs attention and love and somebody to play with or it gets lonely. If you could work out a schedule like I assume that you did with your other puppy, maybe your Mom wouldn't object. Maybe what she's objecting to is having to be the only one taking care of the puppy. This is not fair to your Mom. This dog will be your dog and you need to take care of it. This will take some scheduling on your part especially if you get a puppy because they have to be taught everything. If you did get an older dog, the plus side of that would be that the dog would already be trained, at least partly so. Your local vet's office is a good place to start looking for either puppies or dogs. Also, you should try your local animal shelter and also try PetsMart. There are organizations that bring dogs to PetsMart for adoption. They are all healthy, well trained dogs. They do not bring any dogs with health problems.

Your choice of either a dog or puppy is up to you, but maybe if you considered an older dog or even an older puppy, you might find that your Mom's objections vanished. Ask her how young is too young for a puppy. I was given a 9 month old puppy and I had her for 11 years.

Answer 3

First off you have three very different breed listed as possiblities. Border collies are very high energy...they need lots of room to run and they need to run all the time, they are pretty crazy, but can be quite entertaining if you have the patience for it. German Shepherds aren't quite as energetic. They are more territorial and may fight with other dogs, or attack people if raised improperly. Golden Retrievers are alos pretty high energy but not as 24/7 as border collies are, they will settle down when they're inside, but need lots of walks.
It is usually pretty easy to teach a dog to stay on your property, 2 1/2 acres is a good size. My dog wanders the nieghborhood but not alot, and always comes back. We have about 2 acres but live in a fairly quiet road. Invisible electric fencing is always a possibility if you;re worried about dogs wandering off, but the three breeds you have listed are all fairly large, and for large dogs it doesn't bother them as much to go through that. A lead is soemthing that no dog shoudl have to go through.
Locking your doors is probably the first step to keeping intruders out.
I think that if there is not someone at your house a good amount of the time a dog may not be the best idea. But if you are still persistent about it here is my adivce about breed. Don't get a border collie, they need lots of room, 2 1/2 acres just isn't enought for them and they will be prone to chasing cars. They also need lots of exercise, if someone is not home and they are locked inside all day, that may not be the best thing for them. They're great dogs, but for your situation probably not a good bet. German Shepherds are probably the best for your security issues, but if they are tied up or locked inside they will turn into mean dogs and may start attacking other dogs or even people.
I think of the three you have listed a Retriever is your best bet. They will take long walks with you but can also manage fairly well with being indoors for a while. They won't be as likely to wander off or chase cars as a border collie and the possibility of them becoming vicious is very low. I think though that unless your situation is not as I picture it, a dog may not be the best of choices. But good luck

Answer 4

I own a German Shepard and you can train them to be very good watch dogs but still very nice dogs.

Having a puppy is like having a baby. There is so much training involved with a puppy and if you have such a busy maybe now is not the best time for you to get one. Puppies need almost constant attention if you want them to turn out really good and well behaved.

Answer 5

Border collies are fabulous dogs, but...they are working dogs with a lot of energy. Someone from Australia told me that on the ranches, other dogs will jump on the truck to go out where the herds are. The border collies would rather run alongside.

I have known people who lived in the suburbs and walked or ran regularly who thought a border collie would be a good dog to have. They ended up with a lot of behavior problems from these beautiful dogs because they did not have quite enough outlet for their energy. In one of the cases, the family had to get rid of the dog and got a golden retriever. In the other case, they kept the dog, but it was very sad for the dog.

German shepherds are oneof the most intelligent breeds of dog. They are also one of the breeds of dog that are most likely to bite. We had a German Shepherd mix who was loving and affectionate with the family but started taking intense dislikes to our friends and neighbors. We ended up putting an ad in the paper advertising a free guard dog--he would patrol our yard. The man who answered the ad was impressed when he first stepped out of the truck, and reported years later that our dog was still a fabulous guard dog.

A golden retriever might be okay, but if anybody shoudl be thinking about a puppy, it should be your mom. In all likelihood, you will be going to college very soon, and then you will be living on your own or with roommates in places that will probably not let you keep a dog. Any puppy that you get now is going to be your mom's sooner or later.

On the other hand, there are certain classes of working dogs that that need to be adopted as puppies by families who socialize them to be around people, and then lthe dogs leave those families for specialized training. These dogs include seeing eye dogs and other dogs for the disabled, police dogs, and customs dogs. Customs dogs may be trained to sniff out drugs and money. That training comes later in life, but they need to learn to be around people when they are still pretty young. I knew someone who hosted a customs dog (who tend to be of breeds similar to the ones you're thinking about) for about a year. That might be the best solution for you and your family where you are in the path of your life.

Answer 6

all the dogs you mentioned are good breeds but the collie is prone to blindness in old age and often have behaviour problems . as long as a dog is not left alone for too long during the day there is no reason not top have one( besides you had one for 12 years so you know how to look after one) . the new dog can be trained to keep off the road fairly easily(dogs are not stupid) but remember dogs are not as reliable as an intruder deterent as people think.

Answer 7

explain to your mom how you feel and if you really want a puppy save up for one or rescue one from the shelter. if you can try to find some fence or a run for your puppy if you get one or even get a lond tie-out and stake it
i have a 1 yr. old german shepard & she is a really handfull so if you don't have a lot of time to spend with her i suggest getting a smaller dog i also have a pembroke welsh corgi who is protectful of me and if a stranger comes near me the are in for a whole lot of barking, growling, and if they tried to hurt me attacking! he is loyal & loving but more independant than my german shepard
best of luck

Answer 8

well, i would opt for the border collie for protection. they can be fiercly protective to their owner. even from people they know and family members. you come first. and they are very instinctive. you don't have to train them to be protective. they have very very high energy levels and need to move and run constantly all day, but they will be so calm(though forever aware) at night. they are born workers and protectors. usually loyal to one person. i had one that actually circled my children around their swingset when they were on it so much that he wore a path around it. you must play frisbee or catch with them everyday for long periods of time. i know one border collie that sat in front of the owners bedroom door at night and would not let even family members in. please don't get a border collie if you can't commit to them everyday. it would be an injustice to them. being on a lot of land is good for them and they are so protective of animals that you don't have to worry about them chasing dear. my dog protective two baby birds one day. grooming is work for these dogs. females shed twice a year, but have thinner undercoat. of course colder climates make for thicker coats. males shed once a year. the shedding is in clumps so less hair on furniture. once a week brushing with a good shedding brush that gets undercoat will help enormously. they are wonderful loyal dogs. and one of the smartest breeds and so easy to train. they want to please their master so much. they need praise and love and need to feel useful. they will not take to harsh punishments or abuse. they will disown their master if they have to.
german shepards are less maintenance, shedding on furniture is a problem though. they have a lot of problems with their hips. you have to make sure of them being vet checked for this problem before buying. i have owned 2. they really are quite friendly and lovable. they are fiercly loyal, but need training for protection. they can be trained to be vicous, sadly. small children are not recommended around them. they can be tempermental with too much inbreeding. picking a good qualified breeded with a good reputation is very important for this reason. i don't believe they will chase dear since they are in the shepard family.
now a golden retriever is a fun dog. i would recommend this as a family dog to play with especially around water and kids. but if they wander, and they will, they may hunt. they are in the hunting sporting group of dogs. i wouldn't trust them for protection. they are too friendly to strangers. i really don't know what would happen if push came to shove. they would be good for running with you if it is cool outside. whatever dog you choose please don't buy from a pet store. those poor dogs are usually from bad breeders, dogs breeders can't sell, you don't know their temperment, they are abused from puppy mills, and could have health problems that will show up later, and the cost is way too high. research breeders where you live, visit the home, and meet the parents if they are on the premises. a runt of the litter could turn out to be aggressive because they had to fight for food from the mother from the other puppies, and been picked on. a spayed or neutered dog is less likely to wander, be aggressive, and not get cancer.
well good luck, they are work and commitment. but they are rewarding. and please, never bring a dog in a car and leave them even for 10 minutes. i could cry every time i see this. julie

Answer 9

maybe you should hold of until you have a little more time to donate to the puppy

Answer 10

German Sherpard .....they are the nicest dogs ever