Which is the best breed of dog to buy my boyfriend for Christmas considering our situation?

Question

My boyfriend and I live in a small home with two outside dogs (Rottis) and two inside dogs (Chihuahuas). We currently breed both Rottwielers and Chihuahuas, and are looking to start with a third breed of dog. Considering I travel a lot and sometimes take the Chihuahuas with me, honey wants two other dogs he can keep in the house while I'm gone. We were thinking of either A.) Boxers, or B.) American Pittbull Terriers. I am against the Pitbulls because they are known to be agressive and don't get along well with other small dogs, but would agree to them otherwise. I prefer Boxers because they are well with children and other pets. -I know that a dog's temperment is a combined factor of its breed history, genetics, and also the way it was raised.

So, would it be safe to get a pair of PitBulls and have them in the house with our other two dogs and possibly in the future, children, if they were raised from pups with the other dogs? Or should we just play it safe and get Boxers?
Thanks

Oh, but as far as PittBulls in shelters go, or any dog for that matter:
We only sell our dogs to people that meet our requirements and a thorough check (as a result, we end up with a lot of his family members with free dogs, lol) But we ask, upfront, if they plan to breed the dog. If they say no, we have the dog spayed/nutered out of out own pockets, so no chance of puppies. I've had many people tell us that we shouldn't breed Rottis (including one very stubborn neighbor who shot one of my boyfriend's first dogs and drowned one of the puppies once he moved them to the kennel from the house, I believe it was the first litter).

We try to be very responsible when breeding our dogs, and we do check-ups with them for years after placement with families, and all are AKC or CKC registered (or are going to be, in this case).

In response to what I do with my dogs:
My boyfriend's family has bred dogs locally for several years, begining with his grandparents, who bred Jack Russle Terriers.
Most of the dogs his family breeds have titles (some by us, some by his aunt and uncle, and then his parents and grandparents as well, we all breed different breeds) and ALL dogs by us are vet checked with up to date health checks and a lifetime guarentee of replacement or refund due to (proven) genetic problems (which has never happened as of yet). As I said, we keep up-to-date records on all our dogs and continue to check with the people we place them with for years after they are born. We have puppies spayed and neutered every time, unless we sell them to a breeder that we know and trust to be as responsible as we are. We only breed once or twice a year, and usually only have between 1-3 pups in a litter. We are not a puppy mill in any form or fashion, and do not breed for profit. The money goes to our dogs (food,etc)

Well... honestly I've never had a dog lose its home, and I've checked up on all of them that we've had by our Chihuahaus, and most of the ones we've had from our Rotties (except for maybe two litters that were born before I started dating my boyfriend...) If one were to lose its home we would certainly take it back, no questions asked and no problem. All these pups are like children to us, and although I like to see other people take them and love them I would most certainly take them back. In the community I live in and those who have bought dogs from us everyone knows how we feel about our animals and knows that they could bring them to us and we would gladly take them back. All leave our home house, crate, and kennel trained as well as basic obedience trained as well, and would be no problem to have back with us to be replaced with another family, or kept by us in our home. I hadn't had a problem with it before but I will be making up a contract on that for future litters. Thanks

Becca D.,
I normally wouldn't get a dog for Christmas, but since my family is going to be out of town and we don't do much for Christmas otherwise (just a small dinner with his parents and brother) I don't think it would be too much of a big deal. I got my female Chihuahua for Christmas two years ago, and she transitioned perfectly, even with a little hustle and bustle and excitement. That, and I wasn't exactly meaning right now, maybe a little bit after Christmas, depends on how long it takes for me to find a dog with the right colors, temperment, no health problems, etc.

You know, it's pretty bad when a person spends more time defending themselves rather than getting their question answered.. but oh well. FYI, my "outside dogs" are just as spoiled rotten as my "inside" ones. They are kept outside during warm weather, brought inside during whelping periods and when it is cold or rainy or too hot, have constant access to water and are fed three to four times a day. I highly doubt either of them are being punished or suffering from any form of cruelty, and they are both happy and healthy dogs. Just because they are outside, does not mean they are abandoned or ignored, quite the contrary. It's not like we leave them tied up outside and breed them and that's it. They are taken good care of and socialized daily. We also do not have any kind of stud/dam serive and spay and neuter BEFORE leaving my home unless under special conditions. I only breed once a year unless there is a high demand for puppies from people I deem responsible and trustworthy.

Answer 1

Hey there Ashley'
Definitely go with the boxers... I grew up with them, I cant say enough about them!! I'd tell you for all my great experiences with them but i have a broken finger , Sorry doll! Boxer Boxer Boxer.. got it! ;)

Answer 2

I was raised with a pitbull when I was a baby with no problems and believe that a dog's temperment is based solely on the way it is raised. As far as having a small house, if you want a tough-looking dog with a mild personality, I would recommend getting Miniture Pinchers which look like Doberman Pinchers but in truth are not viewed as a miniture breed of them.

Answer 3

What do you do with your pups? What kind of health guarantee do you have? What health checks do you have on the current 4 dogs you own? What titles have these dogs attained?

Most important, though: What happens when a pup you sell loses its home next month/next year/5 years from now?

Do these dogs go into shelters or rescue? Or do you take them back?

If you don't take them back, if you don't have a contract with the people who get the pups from you requiring that they bring the dogs back if they can't keep them, you aren't being a responsible breeder...even if you do the health checks and have titles on the parents of your current dogs.

You are simply adding to the hundreds of thousands of homeless dogs who will be euthanized this year by over-worked volunteers who cry themselves to sleep thinking of the sweet eyes they led to their deaths that day.

If you add a third breed and create pups with these dogs...you are fast developing into a puppy mill. Someone who produces pups for profit...not caring about the quality of the animals, not caring about their fate.

It really doesn't matter what breed you add to your collection.

EDITED TO SAY:


I apologize for referring to you as a potential puppy mill...but the words you originally posted indicated that this was a real possibility.

But...Again, I ask, what titles do YOUR dogs have, not the other dogs in your boyfriends family, dogs of different breeds than you have, thus making them not even the parents of your own dogs.

Again, I ask, what health checks do you have on your dogs? Not a local vet saying, 'Yes, your dog is currently healthy'. I'm talking about OFA, CERF, etc., checks, verifying that your dogs don't carry inherited genetic diseases that they may pass on to pups.

Below is a link to potential genetic diseases for all breeds. Please at least scan through the lengthy list of possible diseases for both breeds you currently reproduce.

I am so glad that you care so much for your pups, that you will take back the pup, even as a 9-year-old who has no real obedience training, who loses his home in the future. Been there, done that as a breeder, myself. And kept the dog for the rest of her life. Younger dogs who lose their homes are easier to re-home, especially if their owners didn't spoil them as much as the 9-year-old we got returned! (and we've had several of those, regardless of how much the people checked out when they applied for the pups...sometimes life situations alter and people CAN'T keep their dog)

If you continue breeding, you WILL have dogs lose their homes. Please do set up a contract for your pups requiring that the owners have to first contact you if they can't keep their dog, for whatever reason.

This is what being a responsible breeder is all about. Being responsible for what you produce. Not having any of your own dog's offspring end up in shelters or rescue.

A responsible breeder also does all of the health checks to be as sure as they can that none of their pups inherit any diseases that could have been prevented had the breeder done their job!

Being a responsible breeder also entails breeding for the betterment of the breed. Making sure that the pups they create are true to the breed standard, physically and mentally. This is why you need titles on the dog, either working or temperament, show titles, something to show that the parents of the pups you create can do the job the breed was intended for, show that they meet the standards set by the founders of the breed.

Answer 4

Boxers are wonderful dogs. But Christmas is a horrible time to bring an animal into a new environment. All the comotion and people in and out, not good for a nervous animal.

Answer 5

Please do not breed pit bulls. The shelters are FILLED to the brim with pit bulls.

It is estimated that up to 200 Pit Bulls are killed EVERY DAY in Los Angeles County, CA, shelters alone because there are not enough homes for them. Imagine the number across the entire United States...

And no, they are not supposed to be human agressive nor will they kill your children. If you have ANY breed of dog that bites humans, there is an issue.

Answer 6

Boxer

Answer 7

did you know it's very unhealthy for dogs to just be bred? did you know dogs are pack animals and aren't meant to be kept out where it can get very cold and very hot? they need to be with people you shouldn't buy dogs to keep outside, it's cruel. you shouldn't breed, it's just adding to the tons of animals that need homes. why add to it? people who want and animal should find one from a shelter rather than adopting from a BYB. you don't need to bring puppies into the world, dogs in shelters are already here. these animals don't get adopted and are killed or sent away to be tested on. I suggest you find homes for the puppies BEFORE they are born, and MAKE the owners get them fixed, don't allow them to add to the population if you refuse to stop breeding.

for america to end homelss dogs EACH PERSON would need to adopt 7 dogs, that means A FAMILY OF 4 would have TWENTY EIGHT DOGS. please, don't promote bringin more dogs into the world when there are that many that need homes.

you shouldn't get anymore dogs, you should bring in the dogs you have cruelly labelled as outside dogs.

Answer 8

Don't take a chance. I would go with the boxers for the sake of the children.

Answer 9

There is nothing wrong with American staff. terriers they love children and your more likely to get bit by my cocker spaniel then a pit bull.The neighbors have one here and they are terrible and she is the sweat est little girl in the world.The only reason I don't have one is we have breed restrictions here and my older female cocker has issues of her own.

Answer 10

You were dead on with one your factors.... How the animal was raised... I have two Red-nose Bulls, two chihuahuas, my 110lb. wife who is pregnant, and a 3 yr old daughter. My Chihuahua's are more vicious than my Bulls.