Maybe first time dog owner.?

Question

i wanna get a dog but i never had one before. im pretty sure i can take care of one but how bout costs for the vet and stuff? and. would you think they would have pups at a shelter? Whats a good dog to get that stays small-medium?

Answer 1

puppies can be trouble makers especially when you are trying to make a milkshake out of them

Answer 2

Yes, shelters have puppies. If you've never had a dog before, a puppy might not be your best bet. True, they are very cute; they also come with tons of bad habits and traits that they do grow out of after a year or so. If you want a dog that's already house-trained and knows the rules, get an adult dog. After you're used to having a dog around, you can get a pup and start from scratch. It's best if you have an adult dog around to teach the puppy, anyway, since they do so much better than we ever could.

If you go to www.petfinder.com and browse through the small to medium dogs, you will be able to see which breeds and crosses (mixed breed dogs) tend to fall into that category. It all depends on what you mean by small-medium, too, of course. Do you mean just over ankle-high, about knee-high, or something in between? Check out cocker spaniels, border collies, shelties, dachshunds, poodles, beagles, and the like. I personally prefer mixed breed dogs myself.

Answer 3

You really need to study up on dogs. Go to your library and read up. There are several classes of dogs such as toy, working, sporting, etc.

Once you know a poodle from a pug go to your local dog shelter and take a good look at all of the dogs. Don't get one on the first day. Wait a week or two and then go back. Maybe one will look good to you. Don't rush. Talk to the shelter's staff about the dogs.

Also check your local newspaper for sales of dogs. Sometimes you can find free dogs. Sometimes racing dogs are retired at 3-4 years old and you can get a good greyhound (50lb) or whippet (20lb) from the race track.

Personally I would stay away from terriers, except perhaps the Airdale Terrier. The smaller ones dig and chew up furniture unless you know how to train them. Puddles are nice and don't shed, but need to be clipped ($30USD) every month or two.

And speaking (writing actually) about training, check your TV shows to see if "The Dog Whisperer" is in your area. There are Dog Whisperer DVDs also. The Dog Whisperer teaches us the proper relationship between the human as leader and dog as follower.

If you get an adult dog, before taking it to its living space, take it for a long walk on lease. Make sure the dog does not walk ahead of you, but beside you. Every few minutes have a short time out so the dog can toilet and smell. The purpose of the walk is to burn up some of the dogs energy and to get provide you with an opportunity to become the dog's master, leader and for the dog to learn to be submissive to you. Remember humans are the bosses and dog are not. Hope you have studied how to walk a dog first.

Good Luck,
,,,

Answer 4

When you first get a dog it can be expensive. Fixing them so they can't have puppies, getting shots. Unless you manage to find it cheap we're talking a couple of hundred dollars. Getting collars and toys, food bowls, treats, ect. Adds up too. (We just got a puppy recently so we found this out.) If you get one from a shelter most of the medical stuff will probably be done. After that it's just if they get sick that can cost you. As for the kind of dog, it depends on what kind of dog you want. I like spaniels but they're very high energy dogs and need a lot of attention. Most people I know like terriers because they're smart. You might want to glance through a website or book that describes the different needs of the dogs, but I usually just go with whatever dog I can't leave behind and adapt. Good luck!

Answer 5

definitely read up on what kind of breed you want to get before you go searching for one. in terms of vet bills, it depends on your vet. puppies will need to get a series of shots every 3-4 weeks until they're 16 weeks old, and then once per year after that. then, if your dog gets sick, you will also need to take it to the vet. also you should get your dog spayed or neutered, so that factors into cost too.

lots of shelters do have puppies - lots of them are mixed breeds, though, so you can never be entirely sure how big they will get (if they have huge paws in relation to their body size, they will usually grow to be big dogs).

plus, as a first time dog owner, i would definitely recommend taking your dog to obedience school, so that you can know proper ways to discipline your dog so that you and your dog will live together more harmoniously!!

examples of small-medium dogs are: toy or miniature poodles, miniature schnauzers, cocker spaniels, shetland sheepdogs, lhasa apsos, shih tzus, also labrador retriever mixes may turn out smaller if mixed with a small breed, etc etc etc.

good luck!!

Answer 6

Dogs are great! Yes, most likely your local shelter will have puppies and shelter dogs are just as good as any other. However, her are a few things you should know....1) Plan on having your dog for 8-16 yrs(depending on the breed). 2) If you get a puppy, it will need its puppy shots (usually 3-4 sets and then once a year). 3)puppies/dogs need to go to the vet at least once a year for a check-up, more often if they get sick.(Figure on spending at least $120 a year for routine visits) 4) They need Heartworm preventive(around $90/yr for a dog 25-50 lbs) 5) they need a quality food($15-$25/month depending on brand). 6) you need to be prepared for emergencies(they can be quite expensive, but if your dog gets sick or injured, you are responsible for getting it treated). 7) depending on the breed you may need to pay for grooming(prices vary). 8)All dogs need daily exercise(outside of their yard) and should have at least basic training(price varies depending on your location). As for what breed you want, it all depends on the activity level you're looking for and how much time and training you're willing to invest.

Answer 7

get a mixed breed. like a mix lab with dachsand or a mix lab with basset hound. i have a white one and she is perfect, smart, cuddlely. mixed breeds are healthier than full breeds. yes, you will have vet bills, but if you take good care of it, it's not that expensive. take it for walks and to the doggy park. read all about what to feed it on the internet. I am now searching and studying feeding my dogs pure raw meat with bones intact.

Answer 8

Try getting a mut at the pound, their usually cheap.

Answer 9

Jack Russell... Small friendly.

Answer 10

well the prices are high but those are a good price to let your pet live longer. i know they do... a boxer or maybe a dalmation!