What dog is best to get for a first time owner?

Question

I want to buy a dog but have never owned one before, but I've got a new job where I will work from home so will be able to look after it during the day and take it for exercise. I love border collies but I think they are very intelligent and need a lot of stimulation which may not be good for someone without previous experience of dogs. so what is the best dog to get, that is fairly easy to train and won't need excessive attention beyond the usual 2 or 3 walks a day? And is there a good easy guide to training a dog, for a first time owner?

Answer 1

If you are in the UK, I'd recommend Dogs Trust.

http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/rehoming/

They will have assessed the dogs before you take it home, so you'll have some idea of its suitability for you.

They will give you a talk about how to look after your dog before you take it home. This talk is aimed very much at the novice dog owner, so don't feel worried that you don't know much - there'll be plenty of people in the same boat as you!

If you ever have any problems with a dog from there, you can phone them up for advice. This offer lasts as long as the dog. Whilst your dogs trust dog is still alive, they will give advice.

I'd definitely recommend them to anyone, but especially the inexperienced owner.

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Training - Jan Fennel's "The Dog Listener" is a good guide for a beginner. I found it very useful as a starting point, although as I have become more experienced as a dog owner (and more familiar with my particular dog), I've relaxed most of the rules in there.

There's plenty of books on the subject of training, and I'd certainly recommend getting a few out from the library - but I find they boil down to 3 main principles:

1) Nothing In Life Is Free: Your dog wants that treat? He earns it.

2) Dogs associate consequences to their immediate last reaction. So praise or punishment (a stern "NO!" will suffice for most dogs) should be done either whilst your dog is doing the act or certainly within a couple of seconds. Telling him off for something he did an hour ago (even if you have only just discovered it) will just confuse the dog.

3) Most importantly in my view - TRAINING SHOULD BE FUN. If your dog has had enough, stop and do something else - return to the training later.

Good Luck.

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In response to what Lottie said - I've had 4 dogs, all rescues - never had a problem dog yet. It's true that some dogs will have issues because of their treatment earlier on, but not all. Besides - you get to choose your dog, so just go for the one that's least trouble/most suitable for you.

I wonder how many rescues Lottie has been into. Not many I'd imagine.

There's all sorts of reasons why dogs end up in rescue - my greyhound was rejected by his former owner because his racing career was over. Nothing to do with his suitability as a pet.

Based on what you say, a retired greyhound may well be the ideal dog for you too. Because they are left to their own devices for much of the time, they are usually quite independant.

I'd also add, training and socialising a puppy can be hard work even for an experienced owner. A friend of mine works from home and she was of the opinion that the 1 puppy she looked after was more work than her other 4 adult dogs put together!

Answer 2

Firsty do not get a beagle like someone has suggested! It depends what size dog you want. Miniature schnauzers are nice, they are easy to look after and good with kids, dogs etc etc. Where as standard Schnauzers tend to be fretty!

Collies can be aggressive and if not trained properly this can come out. Labs are easy enough, they eat anything and are quite intelligent but like alot of exercise.

The worst thing to do would be getting one from a dogs home for your first dog, as cruel as it sounds 90% of them will be nightmares for a first time owner!

I dont know where you're from but Pitt bulls are illegal in the UK! Staffys can be nice but again if brought up wrong can be snappy, the same with shepherds, terriers etc.

Answer 3

Best thing to do is to get yourself a dog that suits you and your life style. So do some research. If you're fat and lazy, get a fat lazy dog. If you jog every morning, get a higher energy active dog.

A good first time dog in general is probably a labrador retriever. Decent size, good temperment, not too high maintenance. I don't know much about Border Collies, but I believe they're fairly high energy. Be sure to do some research.

I added a couple of links that we used while looking for our first dog (not the first dog I've ever had in my life, but my girlfriend and mine's first dog together). The first one is a quiz that tries to fit dogs to you. The second is just a good reference on breeds.

Best thing you can do, too, is to find and enroll in some puppy classes. We got lucky and had an awesome trainer (at Harlan Ridge Kennels if you happen to live near Eastford, CT.). The experience of being around other puppies is great for the dog. The training was also priceless.

I agree with the poster who suggested petfinder. But try to find a shelter you can go to (as opposed to the dogs who are shipped in from places like TN and the Midwest) to avoid being scammed. It's rare, but it happens. Another good shelter (where we got our dog) is www.sterlingshelter.org.

Answer 4

Sounds like you want a companion animal to keep company with but one that you do not have to interact with much. All dogs need you to interact with them. Just like people there are smart dogs within any breed and less than smart dogs with in any breed. Depends on the breeding of the dog.

If you live in a somewhat metropolitan area check on AKC dog shows. Many dog clubs should be starting to have their spring shows soon. Go to the Kennel Clubs show and check out the different breeds talk with the handlers or preferable the handler/breeders. Of different breeds.

If you life in an apartment I wouldn't recommend a large breed. Look at minatures and toys. If you don't want a lot of grooming don't get a longer haired dog, most all dogs need a good brushing and the occasional bath, but long haired dogs need groomed to keep the hair from snarling and getting knots.

Apartment living? Westies, Brussels Griffon, Miniature Pincher, Boston Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Chihuahua, Papillon, to begin considering.

Do NOT purchase a dog from a pet store. Most puppies that come from these places were born in a puppy mill. Puppy mills do not usually care about the breading of the puppy just the end result of selling a live puppy. Many puppies from these source can actually be sick when you buy them and you are just stuck with a sick animal.

The AKC has a breeder referral service. I would go that route.

Puppies are fun to begin with but puppies take a lot of work. and they can be destructive, chewing on things they shouldn't So you might consider going through the local human society. Most of these animals will be grown and you won't have to deal with a puppy. But remember you will have to deal with any issues the dog may come with, it may have been abused and be shy. It may have bad habits it has to unlearn. Most humain societies make sure their dogs are healthy and safe, not mean, or they will not put them up for adoption.

Good luck!

Answer 5

Do some reading about the dogs you find attractive. Particularly take into consideration the FUNCTION for which the breed was originally developed. That will tell you a lot about it's temperament and exercise requirements. http://www.akc.org/breeds/index.cfm?nav_area=breeds
Border Collies are very trainable, but they absolutely MUST have a job to do (that's why you see so many of them in Agility), or they will become neurotic and act out in undesirable ways. I would not recommend one for a first time dog owner. A similar breed that is not as intense is an Austrailian Shepherd.
Another excellent way to research breeds is to attend an all breed dog show and look around for dogs you like, and speak to the exhibitors. They will be willing to tell you about their breed and advise you.

Answer 6

I was a first time owner 3 years ago and after LOADS of research decided on a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He is gorgeous, friendly and was really easy to train. Although he is a small dog he can walk for miles and loves being with his family (cuddled up next to you or on the floor by your side all day long). If it's pouring with rain or freezing cold he'll be happy with a game of ball indoors. I found Gwen Baileys 'Perfect Puppy' a great book with lots of tips for new owners. Puppy classes are a must as well! Lots of luck, dogs are just wonderful and I hope you find one that you can love as much as we do ours - in fact we always say that he's not a pet, he's one of the family!

Answer 7

I would totally allow my dog to donate blood. One of my dogs had to have an emergency transfusion to save her life and if one of the vet techs at the vet hadn't offered up her dog that was already there, mine may have died because we didn't have time to go home and get our other dog. It's a great thing to do, it doesn't hurt the donor and it could very well save another dog's life. As long as care is taken to keep the donor comfortable, then why not? I wouldn't do it excessively, but here and there to help out, absolutely. Edit: To Sunny, you mentioned that it could bother your dog. I watched them take the blood from the donor before putting it in my dog and he was fine. They gave him a mild sedative and he just laid there calmly. They all stroked him and comforted him and afterward he just sat up like nothing had happened. He wasn't traumatized at all. If it were distressing for the individual dog, then that dog obviously isn't a candidate, but I think most dogs would do just fine.

Answer 8

Do you want a house dog? A yard dog? Big dog? Small dog? Do you want one to exercise with or to sit on you lap? Do you want a guard dog? A good, laid-back dog for first time owners would be a labrador, poodle, or a golden retriever.
CHOOSING YOUR DOG
When choosing a dog breed, don't just think about looks and size. Personality and intelligence also have to be considered.
Read books, browse the Internet and ask friends. You could also visit a dog show and talk to the owners about their dogs.

Things to think about:

The size of your outdoor area - boisterous dogs need big back yards.


The proximity of neighbours - some dog breeds are noisier than others.


The structure of your family- some dogs get along better with children than others.


Time available for exercise - if you only have a short time each day for exercising, a smaller dog would be better.


Time available for grooming - longhaired dogs require daily brushing.

Answer 9

I have a Yorkshire Terrier. She is wonderful company, and very easy to look after. She only needs walking once a day - as a run around the garden a few times a day normally wears her out! Being long haired, her hairs do not come out, and just needs a brush now and again. She has been very easy to train too!

Answer 10

Well, it all depends. You need to ask yourself now what kind of dogs you prefer. Do you like little toy dogs, medium sized dogs (like a lab or golden retriever) or big dogs like rotties, or great danes? Think of a dog from your childhood that made you really want to get a dog. Chances are that is gonna be the breed you want the most. Just make sure your dog likes you when you go to buy it. Good luck!