Question about dogs--I live in a fairly large apt...?

Question

and I would really love to have a small dog to keep me company.( I would get a cat, but I am super-allergic) when I am home. I am out of the house from 6 in the morning to 6 at night, Monday, Wed, and Fri, and Tues/Thurs, I am out from 6 to 4, and home all weekend. So, I have a few questions, really?

1) Is it really worth it to get a dog? Are my hours too long and will it be unfair to the dog (potty, time spent, small living space, etc)?

2) Secondly, I need a dog which is relatively mellow and low-maintenance. I like pugs, boston terriers, and french bulldogs (I know nothing about these breeds though) Are there suggestions you could give me?

3) Training the dog. Should I do it myself, or pay for obedience school?

Any info or suggestions would be WONDERFUL. Thanks guys!

Answer 1

Honestly, if you get a low mantanance dog, and maybe consider a doggie daycare 2/3 times a week it wont be such a bad idea.

You do realize the responsibility is not easy, especially in an apartment. You can always hire some one to spend quality time with your dog during work hours, or bring him to daycare (This doesn not need to be daily.)
You should ask yourself this: Why do you want a dog?
Are you willing to spend the money?
Are you prepared to spend your free time with the dog, rather than party?

Your hours aren't really that bad. Your dog will be alone, but most people have the same hours as you.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/pug.htm
Pugs:
*A Pug is "a lot of dog in a small space." They are perky, rambunctious and loyal, affectionate and loving, with a happy disposition. They are playful and charming. Clever and mischievous - with a heart-winning personality. They can be a bit willful. Highly intelligent, it bores easily with repetitive training practices. Pugs are sensitive to the tone of your voice, so harsh punishment is unnecessary. The dog is neither excitable nor dull. They are good watchdogs, very devoted and are not yappers. Pugs get along well with other dogs and pets, and they behave impeccably with both children and visitors. Do not forget though, that they require lots of attention and become jealous if their owner ignores them.

As you can see, pugs do want a lot of attention. They would adapt well to the apartment life style, just buy a lot of toys, get a daycare twice a week and train it well. You will be fine.

Have you considered 2 dogs? Or is this not an option.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/bostonterrier.htm
Boston Terrier:
*Though bred at first for use in dog fights, today's Boston Terrier has been bred to have less aggressive tendencies. It is gentle, alert, very intelligent, and well-mannered. Enthusiastic and occasionally rambunctious, this breed has a sense of humor. They are very sensitive to the tone of one's voice. This breed likes to learn and therefore is not difficult to train. Their intelligence ensures they pick things up quickly. At times they can be somewhat willful. Some owners have reported that their dogs are good watchdogs barking only when necessary, while other owners have reported their female Boston Terriers do not bark at the door at all. Most reliable with children, especially good with elderly people and very friendly with strangers. The Boston Terrier is playful, very affectionate and likes to be part of the family. Very popular in the United States, due above all to its excellent character. They generally get along well with non-canine pets. Some males are dominant and may fight with other dogs. These little dogs may be difficult to housebreak.

Not really any attention issues, but may become "overly" smart and become destructive.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/frenchbulldog.htm
Bulldog (french):
*The French Bulldog is a pleasant, easy care companion. A very playful and affectionate dog. Sweet and absolutely hilarious; they have a very comical personality and love to clown around. It is bright and easygoing. Curious and alert. The Frenchie gets along fairly well with strangers and other animals, but he is often bonds strongly to one person. They play well with other dogs; some males may be dog aggressive, while others get along with other dogs just fine. This breed needs companionship and will not thrive without it. The Frenchie cannot be owned and ignored. They are fairly willful, but can be trained if the owner is patient. They respond to patient, consistent training that DOES NOT include hitting or harsh jerking. They are clean, and companionable, enthusiastic and sometimes do not know when to quite, but they are not yappy and loud. This breed does best with older considerate children. Frenchies are easy going to show. This breed may drool and slobber; however a good percentage of them do not. This little dog is also a ruthless hunter of mice!

As you can see, this dog also perfers human contact.

There are many places that will walk your dog, "daycare", groom, board, and etc. for you. Consider a second pet to keep your dog company. (If possible, if not thats also ok.) Be prepared to give the dog the attention he/she will need when you have breaks and etc.
Your hours are not terrible, and not good. Talk to others and see what they think, talk to your neighbors and friends, find out more information on dog walking and etc. You will be able to find a way to get a dog, just keep working at it. Think carefully about it as well.

Best of luck.
Tierney

Answer 2

1. I think that you will be home enough for the puppy. It may not be ideal, but if you worry about the dogs getting lonely you can get them a buddy.

2. I have French Bulldogs and I think that they are great apartment dogs. The do not shed near as bad a Pugs, and they are more mellow than Boston Terriers. They are very social and they love children. They only bad thing about the breed is that they can be hard to potty train (I would recommend crate training). Also, if you get a Frenchie you really need to save the money and get a nice one from a reputable breeder.

3. I would pay the money and have the dog trained. That way you get socialization and training all in one.

I hope this helps and Good Luck!

Answer 3

You have a few things to consider before getting a dog (which, I have to say, I don't think is a really good idea based on the circumstances as you described them)

(1) Would you get a puppy or adult dog? If you would get a puppy, how will you deal with potty training? It's not going to be possible to train the dog if you're working 12 hour shifts so you would have to either come home during the day, take time off of work, have someone else work with the dog, or wait until you have some vacation time coming up to make the investment. Some people paper train small dogs - but if you do this, are you going to be okay with coming back to the apartment after a long day and immediately dealing with the mess and the smell?

(2) Can you afford to pay for a dog-walker to come and take the dog out at least 1-2 times a day on MWF? If you cannot, it's not a good idea to get a dog. A dog will have to be walked at least 1-2 times during a 12 hour period of time. (Not taking the dog out to go to the bathroom can lead to UTIs, which are painful for the dog.)

(3) Have you looked into vet expenses? Puppies are expensive and making sure that your dog is up to date on shots is both required by law in most areas and is incredibly important for the dogs health, happiness, and longevity.

(4) You should both train the dog yourself and work with an obedience class. Most of the training is going to be done on your own -- the class will teach you how to train the dog. Many classes with 10-12 dogs aren't able to produce dogs that are able to do everything perfectly, and that's where your work will have to come in.

(5) Do you have the time to train a dog? Trained dogs are happy dogs. Even if it's just you in the apartment, your dog should be trained -- unless you never have company, never plan to take the dog out of the apartment, and plan to keep it that way for the entirety of the dogs life.

(6) Are you ready to make a 10ish year commitment? It's HARD for a dog to be taken in, loved, become attached, and then given up for adoption. Letting a dog down like that isn't good for the dog, and it probably wouldn't be good for the owner either.

Whatever you decide to do, it's really important to think this through carefully. Animals aren't just companions.

Answer 4

Right now it sounds like a dog would not be the best choice. Your life seems to be quite busy. Remember that dogs are pack animals and you are the alpha member of the pack.

If you insist on getting a dog, check with your local clubs for the breeds you are interested in. They can give you a much better idea of what each breed requires in care. Also consider an older dog versus a puppy. A puppy will consume a lot of time teaching it where to go potty, and other manners that you have to do yourself.

If you are gone 12 hours each day, you probably won't be able to do much training. But even if the dog goes to obedience school, you have to be consistent with him when he's with you. It's like caring for a child. You should have clear expectations of what you want so that you can communicate it to the dog. Be firm since you will be the "pack leader". Otherwise Fido will step into the void. :-)

Try these web sites:
www.petplace.com/dogs/akc-breeds-alphabetical/
www.puppyfinder.com/commonbreeds.php
www.bostonrescue.net
www.bostonterrierclubofamerica.org
www.pugs.org
www.pugrescue.com
www.frenchbulldogrescue.org
www.frenchbulldogclub.org

Answer 5

I suggest going to a shelter and adopt an adult small breed dog. A puppy needs more attention and care. A dog that is a little older will most likely be housebroken and will be better behaved if left in an apartment alone for long hours. Good luck.

Answer 6

if you do get a dog you need to find if there's someone in your area that could come over a few times a day to walk and exercise your dog, 12 hours is too long to be locked up. the breeds you mentioned are terriers and in general they are pretty high energy and require lots of exercise and attention. when you train pay for a school, a good trainer will tell you 80% is training the owner and 20% the dog. good luck to you.

Answer 7

Name the police, make a file. Inform the police when they arrive that you're anxious of those neighbors. Inform them the whole lot that you simply heard. They customarily already know about these individuals and must comprehend how you can deal with them. If the landlord refuses to examine even though you've complained, let the police understand. Name animal manage also and ask if and when the police and animal manipulate are going to respond, which you could call when the incident is occurring, however do not wait, that is horrible and wishes concentration now.

Answer 8

A dog would be a huge mistake. They need time, love, and lots of patience.

A better pet would be a snake, rabbit, guinea pig, etc...

Ball Pythons are wonderful. If you hang out around it for an hour a day, it is happy. Let it lay on your neck or on your lap or even just next to you on the couch. It only eats once a week and you clean the cage 1-2 times a week. Keep water and heat and that is it.

Answer 9

if you can spend about a month with it as a puppy then that would be awesome, but i work 12hour days and have a puppy. He spends most of my available time with me. Small dogs tend to be hyper-active. Especially bostons. My sister has one and he needs a like a mile walk and maybe toss a ball him for a while. But he does a great job in her apartment, she has a very small apartment. You should both train your dog yourself and go to doggy training. As a puppy potty train it yourself and use training treats to teach it simple commands like sit and down. Take it to training to learn obedience and more complex commands. you can check out eukanuba's website and they can tell you all about the breed of dog and it's temperment as well as whether or not it's a hyper breed.

Answer 10

Do you necessarily need a puppy?
Why not get a foxie/Rack Russel?
They are small and look like their puppy form all thier life except for the fact that they grow from 10cm to 30/40 cm in their whole life.
You could go to an animal shelter and adopt a grown dog and take it home etc.