Which of these 2 dogs are better to have for a first time pet owner?

Question

A German Shepperd or a Beagle and which would get along better with the kitten?

Answer 1

Either dog is wonderful for a pet. As for getting along with a kitten, the dog has to get to know the kitten and get used to it. I hope you are getting your dog from an animal shelter (save a life). If so they will know which dogs they have that will get along with cats, some do and some don't.

Answer 2

A beagle would be a much better choice for a first time pet owner. The only problem with them is they are a little heard to house train, but once you've got that down they will be a great pet. They also get along well with other animals even cats. My mom has a beagle that she had for 8 years before bringing another animal into the house. When she brought home her first kitten the dog just fell in love with it. Now they are together all the time. When the eat, sleep, etc they are together. Even when Eagle(the beagle) goes outside she sits on the back pouch waiting for him to come back inside. My Mom has since then also gotten two more cats that he also does fine with. He even lets my dog and my friend's dog come over for visits nothing seems to stir him up.

Answer 3

Both breeds will have their pros and cons--German Shepherds are very intelligent, but can be extremely possessive. The ones I have known will go after anyone who gets too close to the people they have chosen to protect (and they don't necessarily choose to protect their owners). Now, they haven't viciously attacked anyone, but they will do their damnedest to scare off anyone and everyone (cats included).

Beagles are generally pretty easy going, but can be temperamental. They are usually content to be left to follow their noses, which might or might not lead back to the cat. I would say, that if your cat will leave the dog alone, the dog will leave the cat alone.

As a first time dog owner, I hope you are prepared to put a lot of time and energy into training whatever breed you choose. It doesn't matter if you get a pit bull or a poodle, if you want a well-behaved dog, you have to teach it to behave well.

Most dogs that end up in shelters and eventually put down are there not because they are evil and mean, but because somebody got the dog and either didn't realize what it would take to train it properly, or just didn't bother to take the time to train it. There are very few breeds that can just "be good" without any sort of training or socialization. Neither beagles nor German Shepherds fit into that category.

So, good luck! I hope you enjoy your new dog!

Answer 4

Both dogs are good and both would get along fine with a kitten as long as you get the dog as a puppy or the cat as a kitten. One dog is bigger than the other. One has a tendency towards hip problems (German Shepherd) and one towards ear problems (beagle). Best dog though is a mixed breed dog. They have all the good qualities of the dogs they were from and they are very loving as well. I would take a mutt over a pure breed most any day.

Answer 5

We have a 3 year old German Shepard and a 1 year old cat. They are the best of friends. They play together, eat next to each other and sleep together. I'm not saying that if you get a german shepard yours will do that same thing, but my aunt has a beagel and a cat and they do not get along at all. A german shepard is a great watch dog and very much a one or two person dog, they are pretty quiet and are very loyal. I don't really know all that much about beagels, but my aunts always howls but he is a very good family dog. It all depends on how you train them I think. Our german shepard is a great listener, but we also trained her very well. If you can't decide, go to the animal shelter and ask for a dog that gets along with cats good. I hope I helped out!

Answer 6

Neither are good for a first-time dog owner. The breed you choose should depend on your lifestyle. If you want a more specific recommendation, you'll need to say what your lifestyle is - apartment or house? Do you have kids or not? How much time are you willing to spend training, exercising, grooming and caring for the dog?

I'd recommend one of the Sporting breeds (but NOT a Weimaraner or a Dalmatian!) My all-time favorite mid-sized dog is the English (or Welsh) Springer Spaniel. They require some grooming, but don't shed too much, are generally great with kids, cats and strangers, and are easy to train. Females are a little bit easier than males, but either should make a terrific pet. They will need a good thirty minute walk every day.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and ENGLISH Cocker Spaniels (NOT American!) are great too and need less exercise. They are small, sweet and quiet.

Vizslas, Setters, Labs and Goldens are usually great with kids but they're bigger and are very boisterous until they are about two. Labs shed a LOT.

Before you get ANY dog, I'd also suggest reading some really good books on training. Try not to do it randomly - there are a lot of bad books out there also! These are some of my favorites and you can get them on Amazon.com
What All Good Dogs Should Know - Volhard
Good Owners, Great Dogs - Brian Kilcommins
Dog Tricks : Eighty-Eight Challenging Activities for Your Dog from World-Class Trainers by Haggerty and Benjamin
Don't Shoot the Dog - Pryor
Training Your Dog: The Step by Step Method - Volhard
Dog Problems - Benjamin
Cesar's Way - Cesar Millan

Also, watch the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel. Cesar Millan is the best trainer I've ever seen on TV.

Whatever breed of puppy you decide on DON'T go to a pet shop or buy one off the internet!!!! You'll pay top dollar for what is usually a poor quality puppy mill dog. And you'll be supporting one of the cruelest industries in the country. The breeding animals are kept in deplorable conditions. They probably haven't been vaccinated against contagious diseases or tested for any health or temperament problems or genetic diseases - that costs money and cuts into their profits. A female is often bred every time she comes into heat. When her poor little body can't take it any more, she is often clubbed in the head and tossed into a dumpster or an open ditch. Most puppy mills ship their pups to pet stores at wholesale prices and many pups die before they even get there. These "breeders" have figured out that they can use the internet to ship a dog directly to the customer and thus make more money by cutting out the middleman. If you buy a dog from out of state, good luck getting your money back if there's something wrong with the pup. These people count on you becoming instantly attached to the poor little guy and being willing to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars at the vet to treat whatever is wrong with him.

Find a good breeder by going to www.akc.org or talking to people at dog shows. You can also find info about the breed clubs on the akc site - they probably have a rescue group where you can get an older dog for less money.

Find a breed rescue organization by going to www.akc.org - you can get an older dog for less money. Be VERY careful about getting a shelter dog with children that young. You are often adopting someone else's problem dog. And people often lie about the dog's temperament, hoping he'll get a new home that can deal with him.

Answer 7

Do some research on the web, there are many different websites that provide questionnaires to help you choose a dog. Here's one:

http://www.wonderpuppy.net/choose.htm

My personal preference is a German Shepherd. Mine lived with a cat, a parrot, and a small dog with no problems. She also lived in the house and slept with us (point: she was part of the family and not a lawn ornament).

Just make sure you and your puppy go to an obedience class (positive reinforcement, please!) and everyone will be happier. Talk to a dog trainer or your vet to find a good breeder or rescue group. The local shelter is a great place to find good pets.

Good luck!

Answer 8

The beagle. GermanShepherds would be too much for a new owner with so much responsibilty besides the dog. My friend had two huge labs before children. Now, her 3 young kids are enjoying their 2 mini beagles. They come to my dog parties and are quite the hit!

Answer 9

Probably the beagle. They are pretty low key and very smart. Maybe you could bring the kitten to meet the dog first.If you get a puppy it would be best because it could grow up with the kitten and not learn to attack it. We have 7 dogs and two cats and they pretty much grew up around each other and we have no problems with them getting along. In fact, one of the cats prefers the company of the dogs!

Answer 10

It depends what life style you have. They are both great breeds but both are also difficult to take care of. Begal are good with cats but howl when they are left alone German Shepards also. I think the best dog for a first time dog owner would be a Lab or a Golden Retriever. Hope I helped!!!

Answer 11

DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF YOUR HOUSE IF YOU LIVE IN AN APARTMENT BEAGLE HOUSE GERMAN SHEPARD BOTH GET ALONG WITH CATS AND BOTHE ARE GREAT DOGS. BEAGLES TEND TO BE A BIT NIPPY THOUGH AROUND KIDS SO IF YOU HAVE KIDS OR WANT THEM GERMAN SHEPARD WOULD BE YOUR BEST BET. I HAVE A GERMAN SHEPARD AND SHE IS AWSOME AND IS GREAT WITH MY CAT AND DAUGHTER. EITHER WAY YOU WILL WANT TO GET IT AS A PUPPY A PUPPY IS GOING TO GROW UP LIKING THE CAT WHERE AS A GROWN DOG COULD ALREADY HAVE A HATE FOR THEM.