I'm was thinking of getting a puppy...which breed do you suggest I get?

Question

I was reading some articles on the internet and they said that the dog breed should match your lifestyle. So I wanted some help, in choosing the right breed. Heres a bit about my lifestye...

I want a medium-large breed that I can take the dog on a long walk and maybe a romp free every day. I work for 6 hours everyday(school hours) but I can come home at lunch to feed the dog and let it out to relieve itself. I hope that's enough information to help you answer my question.

Thanx for your help...

Answer 1

First :

medium = over 15 inches at the shoulder but less than 22, over 20 lbs and less than 60


large = over 22 but less than 28 and over 60 but less than 100

Now, needing a breed that will be happy with a walk and maybe a romp, eliminates a lot of the currently popular favorites. By the way, unless you have fenced yard or your dog is very well-trained to know the boundaries of your yard, you are not going to let them free to romp and play. Taking them to the park and turning them loose is not an option no matter how well trained the dog unless there is a 'dog park" - animal control gets very cranky about dogs running loose at large. Lacking the fenced yard or the superbly trained dog, you will have to rely upon walks and a long line (I make them up in lengths from 20-100 feet - great for teaching 'come' too.)

Now, the breeds of dogs are divided by the AKC into Groups.


The Sporting breeds -Labs, Goldens. Spaniels need a lot more exercise than a walk and maybe a romp. These dogs were bred to go out in the field and work all day hunting and retrieveing. They need to be very active - fenced yard, playing chase the ball, go for a jog - not a walk. Their up sides are that they are very trainable, eager to please and excellent with children.

The current popular favorites of Goldens and Labs are suffering from the effects of being loved too much by too many. Goldens now have the dubious distinction of being the No 1 breed in biting the vet because they are wimps about pain - and then there are the rampant health problems - hips, allergies, a cancer rate in the top 3.....(Love them to death but after 28 years of having them, I gave up because of the way the breed had deteriorated.) The poor Labs are having the same problems now - the hips, etc and I noticed the other day, that the temperament problems must be increasing when I saw the Lab National Breed Club had posted on its breed rescue page "Lab Rescue does not work with aggression. A dog that bites will not be brought into the program." Hmmm... now what brought that on, eh???

Next is the Hound Group. This includes beagles, foxhounds and others. Now, these again, with an exception or two, are high energy - and LOVE to run, and run and run....usually with their owner coming along behind yelling "come back here." Not a breed to have if you do NOT have a fenced yard with a fence close to 5 feet.

The exception is the Basset Hound - walk fine,couch better. Laidback personality and real clowns.

The other is the Dachshund but they are a small breed.

Then there is the Working Group. These are the big guys - typically over 100 lbs. Many n this group are not suitable for first time owners as they are independent and difficult to train for the inexperienced owner (Boxers, Akita, Doberman, Giant Shnauzer, Rottweiler, Kuvasz, Husky, Malmute, Standard Schnauzer..) In this group, the best breeds for the novice owner are also the largest and called giant breeds- St Bernards, Great Pyreenes, Newfoundlands, Bernese Mountain Dog.....

Next is the Terrier Grouup. These dogs were bred to chase and kill vermin like rats and moles and groundhogs. They can be high energy as in the bigger the breed in this group, the more energy and the greater the need for serious exercise. They can be pig-headed - very pig-headed. Some of the little terrriers are easily trainable but for the most part, they are stubborn and make an obedience trainer mutter "G- - D - - - terriers. Not being a huge fan of terriers, I'll just refer you to the links below .

There are the Toys but we are talking the lttle guys - typically less than 18 lbs.

The 6th group is the Non-sporting. Some good choices in this group. The (English) bulldog is low to the ground but massive. A really neat and often over looked breed is the Keeshond. They are a medium breed, absolutely darling and happy, merry souls - quite the charmers. Very trainable and a lovely pet -particularly for the first time owner.

Read about them here: http://www.keeshond.org/ under the link marked Information - subgroup Public Education

Chow Chows are also a medium breed in this group and are NOT for the novice owner or inexperienced handler. They area guarding breed and take their job seriously. Not a choice wth children.

Dalmations are lovely BUT they can be difficult to train (a lot are thick as two bricks) and they are not good with children under 12.

The Spitz and the Eskimo Dog are both wary and can be nippy with an inexperienced owner.

The final group are the Herding dogs. Many in this group need a LOT of exercise.

The Border Collie is the hyper-active obsessive compulsive of all the breeds - an obedience and agility competitor's dream; and exhausting for the pet owner who doesn't have the time or energy to keep them moving and busy. Australian Shepherds are lovely BUT again need a pretty good amount of exercise being energetic balls of fluff - walks and 20-30 miutes of playing won't cut it.

Australian Cattle Dogs can get very nippy - comes from herfing catttle. They tend to have a bit of an attitude.

Belgian Malinois (used a lot in police work and serach & rescue); Belgian Shepherds and Belgian Teruvens are lovely breeds - trainable, devoted, highly intellgient BUT they do need the exercise. Ditto on Briard and German Shepherd.

Bouvier des Flanders are about the biggest breed in this group. Fabulous dogs in trainability and devotion BUT they need the exercise and their temperment (Do what? Says who?) is not for the inexperienced.

Now Collies and Old English Sheepdogs tend to be much more mellow. They need a short romp but adapt very well to being house pets without the running ripping and racing. Very nnice temperments and very trainable and good dogs for the novice owner. Typically sweet and affectionate dogs.

A smaller breed(s) in height but medium in weight and a great choice for new dog owners who have limited time and energy are the Corgis - Pembroke and Cardigan. Love o see on of hese guys walk in my obedience class - such happy willing dogs who learn fast.

(There is a miscellaneous group but we are talking the extremely extremely rare breeds - also read EXPENSIVE).

You may hear "oh Jack Russell". There is a breed called Jack Russells - not yet AKC. They are a small terrier bred to kill rats. They specialize in bark -bark -bark and are perpetual motion machines. Either you or the dog would need to spend it entire life on tranquilizers. Tell an obedience trainer that it is a JR and you will see them close their eyse, swallow, mutter a prayer and say "Now you understand that the best you can hope for in manners from....."


NOW A CAVEAT - if you fall in love with one of the breeds that can be difficult for a novice to train, the two sources were you may find a dog of that breed who is an adult and has learned its manners and who will work out for you are:

Breed rescue

Breeder rehome

(See below for an explaination of what these are)

FINDING THE RIGHT BREED FOR YOU

First, start with the list of breeds on the AKC

website.http://www.akc.org/breeds/index.cfm

You can search by Group, Breed name or all of them at once.

Now, when you click on the picture of the dog and go to the page for that breed, on the left is a column. At the bottom of the column, is a link captioned "National Breed Club". Click on it - that takes you to the link to

The National Club for that breed is the only one for that breed recognized and accredited by the AKC and it sets the standards for that breed. The Clubs' websites will give you an ENORMOUS amount of information about the breed - the good, the bad, and the why or why not to get that breed. The clubs websites also have:

(1) a breeders list or breeder referral contact - all of whom have agreed to abide by the breeders code of ethics (which you can read)

(2) a link to the breed rescue for their breed

Do give serious thought to adopting from an adult from the Breed Club's breed rescue. The clubs' breed rescues go to a great deal of trouble to determine the dog's temperrment, personality, likes and dislikes (particularly kids and cats and other dogs in the household), health, and level of training. They make a huge effort to match the right dog to the right home - and if they don't have one they think will be suitable for your home, they won't place it. Great way to avoid the puppy training, newspapers, chewing.......They have dogs that are purebred and part-bred (1/2 or so of their breed.) Dogs that come through rescue are so thrilled to have a forever loving home having once been abandoned to a shelter or rescue that they are typically extra devoted and loving. Dogs lose their homes for reason that are not their fault: death, divorce, a move and they couldn’t keep them, financial problems…. This would be an excellent way to get your first dog. All the pleasure and none of the pain of puppy raising.

If you decide to get a puppy , please use one of the breeders who are members of the breed club. A well-bred pet puppy may not be a candidate for the show ring (that nose being 1/8th of an inch to long or something else very picky) but they will be very healthy, the parents carefully screened for hereditary health problems, and from a breeder who has devoted a great deal of time to understanding the breed and bloodlines. A responsible breeder will have a written contract with a health guarantee for hereditary problems; require that if for any reason you ever have to give up the dog that it comes back to them; and always be available for help, assistance and advice about your dog. Such a breeder will tell you if they don't think their breed is right for you based upon your needs. They want a perfect forever home for the puppies - not the money. (In 43 years in the dog show world, I have never known a breeder of that caliber who has made a profit on their dogs - it is labor of love.)

A puppy from such a breeder costs no more - and often less as poorly bred dogs tend to have very high vet bills over the years - than from a backyard breeder who doesn't do the health checks, knows nothing about the breed or bloodlines, doesn't give a guarantee, never wants to hear about the puppy again and has breed from mediocre or poor quality dogs.

You may find the breeder who has the type of dog you want but no litter on the ground at the moment. Most good breeders have waiting lists -get on it. You may find the breeder and puppy you want but at a distance. Among the really responsible breeders(members of the club) shipping a puppy is quite normal -they want the best possible home for the dog and the written contract is very extensive.

Do ask the breeders on the club list if they have any dogs they bred that they need to rehome - good breeders all require if the owner can't keep one, it comes back to them. It may be a dog they placed and it came back because the owner didn't have time, didn't realize how big it would get, got divorced.... It may be a dog who was a show prospect but as they grew didn't meet their early promise. It may be an AKC Champion they decided not to use in their breeding program because while it did get the Championship, they don't need more bloodstock or find a tiny conformation flaw they don't want to reproduce.


NEVER EVER buy from a pet shop. Those puppies came from puppy mills where the parents are locked in cages, bred until they literally die from it, never vaccinated, never wormed, fed just enough so they don't quite die of starvation, live in filth, never bathed or groomed or cared for, are typically of very poor genetic stock both physically and often mentally. The puppies are shoved off to pet stores with no vaccinations, no worming, no socialization or handling... You are buying nothing but heartbreak at a price higher than what a responsible breeder charged for a pet puppy.


IF A SERIOUS BREEDER OR RESCUE TELLS YOU THAT THE BREED IS NOT SUITED FOR YOUR SITUATION - BELIEVE THEM - NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU LIKE THE WAY THE DOG LOOKS

Now once you know what the tendencies and traits of the breeds are, you are prepared to think about adopting a mixed breed. Now you know when they say "mastiff/collie" cross, what you are geting into. PLEASE consider adopting from your shelter. They make just as wonderful pets as those with a pedigree. They are often more loyal and bond more closely when they know that they can trust you not to leave them having already been abandoned and deserted in their lives, and thankful for a loving home. You can go to your local shelter.


GOOD LUCK FINDING THE PERFECT COMPANION!!

Answer 2

It's great that you are asking questions "before" you go out and get the puppy, congratulations.

Are you sure you want a puppy? They are a lot of work. A young dog or an adult dog can be just as loving a companion and will require less time training.

There are several web sites where you can take a "quiz" to choose the right breed for you. They ask a lot of questions and give you the top 10 breeds or so. You can do comparisons between the breeds also.

Almost all of our companion animals we have shared our home with over the past 30+ years were rescues. There are hundreds of dogs out there who would love to share their lives with you. They also have purebred rescues if there is a particular breed you are interested in.

Whatever you decide, good luck and enjoy your new friend!

Answer 3

A Border Collie is a great, intelligent and active breed. Tho they are not for everyone. They require lots of excercise and preferably a job over just the daily walk. A romp out for a game of fetch or frisbee is a good idea. They excel at doggie sports such as Agility, Obedience, Flyball and Frisbee. They're very loving dogs, but if not mentally stimulated with a "job" they can become bored which often results in becoming destructive.

So if you consider this breed, you definitely have to make sure you have the time to properly interact and occupy them. If you have time to get into training in obedience, this would be great as they are really smart and learn very quickly.

Good Luck picking a breed out!

Answer 4

I have two dogs. I go to work at the same time one of my dogs is not yet okay with being alone. If I can suggest you probably don't want to get a terrier. Terriers are very hyper and hard to train. My terrier is almost 7 months old and is still going to the bathroom in the house. My other dog has been really easy to train and has gotten used to being alone. She was alone about 3 days after we got her. The first few days will be tough. Don't give up. We have a yellow lab by the way. She is really sweet. If you don't want a dog quite so big you can go to 1-800-Save-A-Pet.com. It has some dogs and puppies that can fit your needs. My lab can be really annoying at times (she chases ATVs and squirrels.). But I think a lab would be perfect for you.

Answer 5

Why does everybody always want a breed of dog, go to the shelter and save a life, They aren't as bad as they once were when give dogs a home, they just ask for references mom, friend, etc. Then make sure you either own a home or if you rent you get a written thing from the landlord stating it is OK for you to have a dog, Then you pay $75 for a dog who is social, up to date on shots, spayed or neutered, and who will appreciate you. Instead people want to go to a breeder and pay $300-$1000 for a dog, then pay vet bills $1000 and then realize that it is full of genetic problems. Go to petfinder.com type in your zip code and the type of pet you want, dog cat, then type in boy or girl and age, maybe breed type, (then you get a pure or mutt mostly made of that breed. then poof they give you a list of available dogs to your liking. try it you'll save a life.

Answer 6

Go to rescue shelters, there's so many that need good homes and are so loving!

I don't really agree with the what breed should I get, but more of you should find a dog or a puppy that you connect with. You might walk into a shelter and connect with a toy dog, but it just might steal your heart. :)

And to the above poster, every dog requires a lot of time and attention! I wouldn't single out Pit's for that.

Answer 7

This might seem like a STRANGE ANSWER to your question, but I want to tell you what breed to avoid.

DALMATIONS are incredibly nice and loving dogs. They do however require LOTS of personal attention and LOTS of exercise.

If you do not give them enough attention or exercise, they become VERY destructive and in some instances even aggresive. They are superb hunters, and you WILL HAVE TO ACTIVELY socialise them.

Your life seems fairly busy, so I would suggest that you stay away from these wonderfull dogs. They are brilliant if you have the time, otherwise they will drive you round the bend.

Answer 8

I would suggest the most popular breed, the labrador retriever. It is a very versatile breed and does well with families and singles. It loves to go on long walks. You could also check out mixed breed puppies at your local shelter. Alot of them are labrador mixed. You didn't say much about your life-style. Do you have children? Are most of your evenings free? Do you have a small apartment in the city or a larger home with a large yard? Do you mind grooming? Like I said, check out labs. They make great companinons and lab puppies are so cute! Also, go to your local shelter. Good luck.

Answer 9

There are several breeds of dogs in the medium-large breed.In choosing a breed of dog ,you should choose one that has very little maintaince and is a hardy breed.In my experience dealing with all breeds,I would suggest the Scottish Terrier,Westie,or Schnauzer,all of these require very little upkeep and are very intelligent pets.You can go to http://www.breeders.net and click on all breeds to find out about each breed,expected life span,and temperments.Good luck on choosing your new pet.

Answer 10

You should buy a mudi. It's a Hungarian sheperd dog. They are very clever and good for very much sport. In Hungary, people use mudis for herd, keep houses. They are very good at agility, obedience, and other sports. They are very obedient. If you want it, they working all day, but if you need it, they sleep for half day. In Norway, people use mudis as rescue dog. They are medium-large dogs. They are in very much colors. It's a very infrequent breed. If you haven't got very much money for keep your dog, a mudi is good for you, because they eat less than other medium-large dogs. They love games.

Answer 11

i would get one of the good old local strays
they are usually housebroken and are always thankful for being saved. i'd look for any terrior mix thats say part lab part ter. because they are good for any personality and ours is the same way i work and i let her out feed her at about noon so she pees eats then sleeps till we get home to play. its always good to get a shelter dog they're the best dogs in the world. it's sad they have to be there.