# Thinking of getting a dog/puppy?



## CatchySaver (Nov 21, 2017)

I know this is late since lockdown started many months ago but I got nothing new to do but maybe to get a puppy? To play with and spend my time with him/her. I just think of what would be the realities of having a pet dog? What would be its cons? Something I need to be prepared for? Your advice or suggestions will be much appreciated!


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## SSGN_Doc (Mar 12, 2020)

Things to consider with puppies are that they need a lot of attention. Feeding, being let outside or walked regularly to get them potty trained. For the first year or more, chewing stuff is just reality, invest in lots of chew toys, and understand they are meant to be destroyed, so your furniture and other items you may care about are not.
Even then, some items that are not meant for the dog to chew, will likely fall victim.

Get a kennel early, and get the dog comfortable with going into it. This will make brief runs to the store, errands or work times, easier to manage, when you can't be at home, and they can't go with you. It can also make trips to the vet, groomer, etc. more manageable.

Dog breeds vary in personality, and individual dogs vary even more within the breeds. Energy levels, curiosity, playfulness, aggressiveness, play type also varies.

Think about logistics of work, travel, etc. How long are you gone without being able to take a dog with you? What are you going to do when the dog can't go? (Kennel for several hours is probably ok, but what about an overnight trip or longer? Boarding, dog sitters, etc.)

You can hope for the type of personality you want in a dog, but sometimes, that just isn't in the cards. Some dogs socialize with other people and dogs well, some do not and always see a threat or a competitor for dominance.

Size of dog can make a difference in travel logistics, or just being handy to take on a ride to a dog park, hiking trail, beach, etc. My 90 lb Lab/Husky is not a great car traveler and can be a pain to walk, if he gets his focus on something that he wants to check out more closely. 90 lbs of four footed traction and being part sled dog means, if he really wants to go one direction, you will be fully invested in trying to be an anchor, if he shouldn't go there.

Our adopted, dog Gracie, is what I consider to be about the perfect size for things I like to do. She always wants to go. She still strains at a leash, but at 28 lbs, she is more manageable. We don't know a lot about her as far as breed, she was a Hawaii, street dog that was taken in as a rescue and shipped to Washington to keep her from just being euthanized. She is rough around the edges, when she gets near other dogs that she is not familiar with. She plays aggressively (dog dominance games, play fighting, etc, that could easily get her bit or into a serious dog fight with dogs who only see her as aggressive, so I try not to take her around other dogs outside of our own. When we first got her, she did not like to be touched much. She did not like to be held, did not like to be close. She was a curious explorer, very food focused, and aggressive in play, snapping and nipping when you would play tug-o-war or fetch. Three years later, she loves to be around family members, likes to get in a lap in the evenings, and sits in the bedroom door and won't let you by until she has had a morning back scratch. She is quite a cuddle bug now. So, dogs do change a bit if you give them time and patience.


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## SSGN_Doc (Mar 12, 2020)

But also don't be fooled by small and cute, when the puppy is a large breed.


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

I have had dogs - but I have allergies. Any dog I get has to stay outside. 

My last dog died a few years ago. I like having the freedom to leave town and go places without having to deal with a dog. So, I have no plans to get another. 

Dogs are cute. Never been a cat fan. But, I like being dog free, even if that is not popular to say.


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

This is my boy Cooper. He is an Aussie mix.
He is the smartest animal that I ever met. Great watchdog and superb defender of "his" Jeep.
I plan to purchase an apprentice pup for him to teach fairly soon.
Here is a quick video of Coop in action.





GW


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## aarondhgraham (Mar 17, 2011)

I'm here to tell you that a well behaved dog, *Owned by some one else*, Is a joy to behold.

I'm a cat guy myself,,,
I can leave them alone,,,
And, they crap in a box of sand.

I'm definitely into low maintenance pets.

Aarond

.


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

aarondhgraham said:


> I'm here to tell you that a well behaved dog, *Owned by some one else*, Is a joy to behold.
> 
> I'm a cat guy myself,,,
> I can leave them alone,,,
> ...


My dog can alert me to an intruder, he can tell me where the BG is, and he can slow the progress of the intruder long enough for me to take action.
His love for the Wife and I is very apparent. He tries to bring us together when one or the other is crabby with the other. If I sleep on my side he often takes advantage and curls up in the spoon position with me.
Our 2 cats are lazy PITAs

GW


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## whitepaper (Nov 21, 2017)

SSGN_Doc said:


> But also don't be fooled by small and cute, when the puppy is a large breed.


Such cute doggies, I wonder how fun it is would be again to be with such babies around me  Sadly, my one and only baby chiwi passed away last year and I still can't decide if I have the courage to own one again.


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## Budlight_909 (Aug 31, 2020)

we have had cats, thanks to our daughters taking them home when they were kids. i didn't mind, i'd be napping and they'd curl up next to or on top of me. but i developed allergies as well, so nothing with fur for us.

i had read an article a short time ago, where it was claimed that one person adopted a pet, and it has turned out not so good for them.

i cannot recall what the problem was


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## Tangof (Jan 26, 2014)

SSGN_Doc said:


> Things to consider with puppies are that they need a lot of attention. Feeding, being let outside or walked regularly to get them potty trained. For the first year or more, chewing stuff is just reality, invest in lots of chew toys, and understand they are meant to be destroyed, so your furniture and other items you may care about are not.
> Even then, some items that are not meant for the dog to chew, will likely fall victim.
> 
> Get a kennel early, and get the dog comfortable with going into it. This will make brief runs to the store, errands or work times, easier to manage, when you can't be at home, and they can't go with you. It can also make trips to the vet, groomer, etc. more manageable.
> ...


Great job covering all the good points of getting a Dog. The first year is TOUGH! You have to have patience and devote a lot of time to training. They are worth it. Storm does this without any formal training, but the chewing, and just getting into mischief are your to deal with the first year.


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## rickclark28 (Apr 14, 2019)

The rewards of having a dog have been well stated here. I love dogs and pets. They do take some time and deserve the care needed. Never have been dog free but that is just me since having hunting dogs as a kid and now at 62yrs of age my wife and I have x2 Dachshunds and now x2 cats. Kids brought home cats and my wife and I went from a Rottweiler's decades ago to the Dachshunds.
Good luck with your decision. They take quite a bit of time and patience.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

The shedding of hair is craziness, Especially with cats. 
Poodles don't shed.


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

The great escape:



http://imgur.com/a/H86Zdj5


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## CatchySaver (Nov 21, 2017)

Thank you all for the response! I've had a conversation with my friend about adopting his dog's new pup a labrador and I'm currently reading some articles as to what are do's and dont's.

BTW, @SSGN_Doc I love your dogs, so cute!!


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

pic said:


> Think I'll adopt a new GLOCK, LOL


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## denner (Jun 3, 2011)

Shipwreck said:


> The great escape:
> 
> 
> 
> http://imgur.com/a/H86Zdj5


Well, looks like we know who the ring leader is!


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

My first six month old shepherd , what a dog.
My new 78 black cutlass supreme . Brothers new red Mazda .
Eventually bought a female German shepherd.
Back then akc purebreds were about 250$ + 
The male in the photo was the pick of the litter ( first choice ) from the breeder. His father was a Grand Victor champion, Mighty Zeus of Shiloh.

First litter yielded 11 puppies, no problem selling. 
Growing up my mother bred poodles, miniature and toy poodles. 
The usual yield with the poodles were about six puppies


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

There was a lot of falsified information incorporated into the lineage of the breeds


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## NavyToad (Jun 13, 2020)

Do you like dogs? A dog is not an experiment to be discarded if you don’tlike the result.


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

pic said:


> There was a lot of falsified information incorporated into the lineage of the breeds


We knew Cooper was a mixed breed when we adopted him, but we did a DNA test on him because we wanted to know the recipe for the perfect dog: Aussie Shepherd, Dingo, French Bulldog, and mongrel was the result.



NavyToad said:


> Do you like dogs? A dog is not an experiment to be discarded if you don'tlike the result.


Where the hell did that come from?

GW


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Goldwing said:


> We knew Cooper was a mixed breed when we adopted him, but we did a DNA test on him because we wanted to know the recipe for the perfect dog: Aussie Shepherd, Dingo, French Bulldog, and mongrel was the result.
> 
> Where the hell did that come from?
> 
> GW


I think mixed breeds are very intelligent,healthy and strong.i may be wrong ,but I think yourpurebreds were developed from mixed breeds
I


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

pic said:


> but I think yourpurebreds were developed from mixed breeds


Agreed!

GW


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## Injunbro (May 9, 2020)

Dogs are great companions if they can spend 90% of their time w/ you... they tend to get in trouble if left alone too much (sort of like kids). Daly walks, exercise, playing, petting is a must. If you can't do that you might want to rethink. They generally live 10-12 or so years. Our 11 year old half wolf/half retard is my wife's constant companion/friend/protector/consultant. They "belong" to whoever feeds them... FIL got a bird dog to go hunting but MIL fed him. The dog loved to hunt but wouldn't go w/out MIL.


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## CatchySaver (Nov 21, 2017)

NavyToad said:


> Do you like dogs? A dog is not an experiment to be discarded if you don't like the result.


I like dogs, they are cute. A lot of my friends have dogs and cats in their homes and I had a couple of dogs when I was a kid. I don't why I didn't think about getting one again after I became independent but I think now is the right time to have one again.


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## Jeb Stuart (Jan 19, 2020)

I love dogs more than most People. (especially Liberals) That said, you must be aware of the responsibilities that come with Dog ownership. And there are many. Beside the necessary time, consider the cost.
Dogs need Health Insurance. Vet cost can be HUGE! Do your homework first.


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## Tangof (Jan 26, 2014)

They are cute and cuddly and a ton of WORK! Worth every bit of it, but housebreaking, chewing, Vet bills, and daily exercise are on you. Labrador pup ran me ragged for the first six months and chewed everything in sight for the first year. Worth her weight in gold now, but wow! Keep this in mind.


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## yellowtr (Oct 28, 2016)

It it were me I would get a Malamute or a Husky. But I live in the north. They are outdoor dogs and love to run. But they are beautiful


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## Babbalou1956 (Sep 2, 2014)

We have a "rescue dog". Someone dumped a German Shepherd mix puppy in our neighborhood & I adopted her 13 years ago. Still healthy & happy. Rescue dogs are loyal. My sister-in-law has 3 dogs. The only one that doesn't try to escape is the one rescued from the street. He knows where his food & shelter comes from. Not going back! : )


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## CatchySaver (Nov 21, 2017)

Aww, I wish there is someone who will give me a Shepherd this Christmas. Though it's not happening, I feel sorry for the dogs that are being dumped by their owners for nonsense reasons.


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