what kind of dog should i get and why?

Question

I am getting a dog in March!!! YES!!!
what kind should i get and why?
I was thinking a Cocker Spaniel puppy! they are adorable!

Answer 1

You have a lot of questions to ask yourself before you should completely decide on a breed. So many end up in shelters because they were not compatible with the owners life style, so educating your self and answering some questions would really be helpful.

How active are you? Are you couch potato, or do you get out a lot on walks and/or hiking?

How much room do you have? Do you live in an apartment, a house with a moderate yard, or in the country with acreage?

How much time do you have? Some breeds are more prone to separation anxiety than others and if you must be gone often for work and such, they wouldn't make the best choice.

How commited are you to grooming? If grooming daily isn't your thing, then a breed that requires a daily grooming wouldn't suit you.

Do you have young children, or will you when you still have the dog? Not all breeds are suggested with small children as they can sometimes want to dominate them when small... we had this issue with a rescue puppy recently.

All in all, there are many things you should ask yourself about your personal life style and preferences before picking a breed (not saying what you are thinking is bad mind you). Then, once you have a breed or two you're interested in, you should research that breed a lot to make sure it is a good match for you.

What ever you end up getting, I wish you the best of fun, love and luck with your new baby!

Answer 2

Congrats! My uncles brother has a Cocker named Lacy, but before you get one, i'll let you see what your getting into, a great awsome adventure!:
Cocker Spaniel

General Appearance
The Cocker Spaniel is the smallest member of the Sporting Group. He has a sturdy, compact body and a cleanly chiseled and refined head, with the overall dog in complete balance and of ideal size. He stands well up at the shoulder on straight forelegs with a topline sloping slightly toward strong, moderately bent, muscular quarters. He is a dog capable of considerable speed, combined with great endurance. Above all, he must be free and merry, sound, well-balanced throughout.

Owning
Grooming is essential and may require the help of a professional. The Cocker Spaniel can live happily in a small apartment and will also take full advantage of any open space where he can run. The Cocker easily adapts to any climate or living space. Cockers love people. They make wonderful companions for the elderly and equally love and enjoy the company of children

Temperament
Equable in temperament with no suggestion of timidity.

Did You Know
The Cocker Spaniel is known as the ''smallest member of the sporting-dog family.'' The Cocker Spaniel has been exhibited in the United States since the early 1880s. Cocker Spaniels are one America's favorite pure-bred dogs. Ch. Pett's Southwest Breeze (Ruby) was the first Cocker Spaniel in history to be awarded the AKC's Master Hunter title.
Good LUck, i perfer labs, but cockers are awsome dogs!

Answer 3

Please do not get a Yorkshire terrier. I just had one and they are constantly barking, very hard to potty train, very expensive and are always extremely hyper. It was the worst idea ever. I doubt I'll ever get a dog again because of this one. Yes, they are cute, but they are a huge handful. I read up on dogs and most of the time smaller dogs are a lot harder to potty train than larger ones. I don't know why, but with my Yorkie he is 9 months and he still goes number 2 in the house. Cocker spaniels are good dogs, my mother has a black lab and german shepard mix and that dog is wonderful. I would just say stay away from the tiny dogs, unless you have A LOT of time to spend with them to train them.

Answer 4

WOW!! what an open question. That's like me asking what kind of restaurant to eat at.
What kind of place to live in? Do you have a yard? Do you have a fence around your yard? Can you just let your dog out or do you need to go outside with your dog on a leash? Do you live in an apartment that requires a size or breed limit? Do you have allergies? Can you handle a high energy breed or do you want a lap baby? Do u want a big dog or a small dog? Do you want a dog that will snuggle up with you at night or a dog that will take over the bed? Puppies are all cute, but what kind of DOG do you want. Then I can help you decide.

Answer 5

Cockers are cute, but a boyfriend that I had way back in high school had 2 at different times when I knew him and they were both mean. Very temperamental. I have a sheltie and he's the best I could ever want. Very good with other pets and kids. Doesn't like motorcycles though.

Answer 6

Oh man! I want a puppy so bad! I guess it depends on how big one you want, how much room you got, etc.. But if I were you, yeah, I'd get a cocker spaniel, because they are not only cute and sweet dogs, but from what I've heard, pretty smart, too!

Answer 7

As a dog owner myself these are the responsiblities that you as a "parent" are going to have to go through:

1. can you afford a puppy; they take up alot of money, vet bills food, chewies etc.
2. do have time to deal with a puppy; they are and this is no lie just like newborn-6yr old children. They are hyper they will poop in the house thus you need to take them out often and they do need attention
3. can you take care of one? ^^^^
puppies don't stay puppies for ever they do turn into dogs thus they will bark there is no stopping that. They are going chew and chew obssesively you need to make sure that you have plenty of rawhide/bones/stuffies around
you also need to disipline them be stern yet gentle. They are going to pee in the house, once you establish a "potty place" for them they will learn to let you know that they need to go out. This comes in time. After all of this being said I suggest that you go to your local shelter and save a dog instead of putting big bucks into a full blood. Mutts are so much more healthy and less likely to obtain cancers in which full bloods are more likely to get. Also a shelter dog would be more likely to enjoy you better and you it because it will appreciate the fact that you took it out of the shelter and saved it and me personally it gives me joy to see the face on my dog whenever I look at him because I can say YEP I SAVED HIM. This is all that I'm going to say but do not think that this is the only things that you have to worry about. These things are just the tip of the iceburg.

Answer 8

Ok your getting a puppy in march, so you have 4 months to spend on the internet and read up on all the dogs your interested in. That way you will know what to expect from and what will be expected from you. Good Luck and congrats.

Answer 9

go to a shelter and adopt...you can find any kind of dog there. i got my dog from the shelter when i was 3...we've had her for 13 years now and she was the best thing our family could have ever asked for (she is a shetland sheepdog/keeshound mix). but if you truly want a purebred with a pedigree and from a breeder, you should get a sheltie (shetland sheepdog). they are intelligent, good gaurd dogs for their size (they are pretty small...about the size of a cocker spaniel or maybe smaller), and they are GORGEOUS...google images them...you'll be impressed. good luck on your search!

Answer 10

We need to know more about under what circumstances the dog will live. Country, city, house, apartment, home a lot, gone a lot. Each dog has it own separate needs. Like you would not want to put a sheep dog in a tiny apartment. You would not want a collie if you were never home. If you have other animals you would not want a ridge back.