What is the best dog for me?

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Kathryn002

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I don't have a dog, but some time this year I will be buying one, and naturally, I want to get the right one.
So, the dog needs to have a gentle nature, and is easy to train.
I'd prefer the dog to be Spaniel sized, not as small as a Terrier, but not as big as a Labrador.
I am out around 6 hours a day, so it needs to be a dog who can adjust to being alone for that time 4 days a week.
It can't need to much exercise, although of course I'll walk it in the morning, afternoon and evenings. I don't want one too energetic.
It needs to be ok with other pets, as I have a cat and a hamster, as well as various other small pets.
Oh, and it can't be that expensive. No pedigree dogs. ;)

What types of dogs fit that description?
Thanks all,
Kathryn x
 
jason_els

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If the dog isn't pedigreed then it's a mutt so it won't matter what breed we advise you to get. I'm not knocking mutts, just saying that you may not be certain of a mutt's parentage so it can be difficult to know just what you're getting.

Most small dogs do need a lot of exercise to be kept happy while some of the largest dogs prefer sedate exercise. You may want to reassess your size requirement.

I'd suggest looking at the Basset Hound though as they are smaller and more sedate. Another choice, given your cost restriction, may be to adopt an adult dog from a local shelter. At the shelter you can try out a dog, perhaps get one a bit older and less active and already housebroken. Most shelters will let you test drive a dog for a while to see if you're a good fit with each other. If you tell the shelter what you're looking for they can keep an eye out for the sort of dog you like and contact you when one comes along.

You may want to also look at the PBGV and Clumber Spaniels.

These may be good breeds for you. There are also a number of breed finder search engines on the internet. You tell it what you want in a dog and it shows you the choices:

http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselector.do

http://www.glowdog.com/bestdog/

http://us.iams.com/iams/en_US/jsp/IAMS_Page.jsp?pageID=DBS

Try them out. While none are perfect, they may help point you in the right direction.

Last, be careful where you get your dog. A puppy from a pet store is generally a bad buy because they're very poorly socialized, prematurely taken from the dam, and not being bred to be good pets. Plus it supports the puppymill industry. A good breeder will make sure the puppy you get is one that suits you. Good breeders breed not only for conformity but for temperament. They pre-screen for genetic defects and diseases, and they will do puppy apptitude testing to make sure you get puppy that's more of a 4 than a 2. Pet shops and backyard breeders won't do that. A good breeder is always a phone call away with help and advice, and should you become unable to care for your dog, will generally take the dog back.

You're looking for a companion to spend quite a few years with you, sharing your home with him, trusting him. The money it costs for a well-bred dog from a good breeder gets paid back easily in the quality of dog you get, the support you receive, usually better health, and a dog that suits what you're looking for in a dog. It's like choosing a spouse! In any litter of puppys one dog could be made for police and security work while another may be suited to assist the disabled; doesn't matter the breed, like people, dogs have individual personalities.

P.S. - I am not a breeder.
 
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FoxyWench

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id suggest either adopting a youngadult dog from a shelter if your looking for a none pedigreed medium sized breed, by adopting an adult you already know how big the dog will get and its personality.

NEVER buy mixed breeds (doodles/poos/ect) from "breeders" your paying for a very espensive mutt, best adopt.

if your looking for a purebreed but not as expensive, ALWAYS look for good breeders and ask them if they have any "pet" quality pups, they usually come on a spay/neuter contract, but are generally cheaper than buying a full registered show dog.

as for breeds, what about a cocker? you want spaniel sized, there great dogs, very sweet, smart and generally calm indoor dogs.
my family has had spaniels all my life and we couldnt have asked for sweeter dogs. i learnt to walk by hoisting myself up on ur first cockers ears and she didnt even bat an eye.
we currently have Charlie and English x American cocker mix and hes such a doll, hes sweet and lets the chis get away with anything, very smart, and indoors hes a real lazy boy, let him out in the garden and he loves to run and play but hes definatly not a hyper dog.

cockers tend to be a little calmer than springers and feild spaneils, ive never met a clumber spaniel but there shorter and stocker but im told still have alot of strong hunt instinct because they havent been extensivly bred away from feild lines.
 
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Kathryn002

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Kathryn002

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jason_els said:
If the dog isn't pedigreed then it's a mutt so it won't matter what breed we advise you to get. I'm not knocking mutts, just saying that you may not be certain of a mutt's parentage so it can be difficult to know just what you're getting.

Most small dogs do need a lot of exercise to be kept happy while some of the largest dogs prefer sedate exercise. You may want to reassess your size requirement.

I'd suggest looking at the Basset Hound though as they are smaller and more sedate. Another choice, given your cost restriction, may be to adopt an adult dog from a local shelter. At the shelter you can try out a dog, perhaps get one a bit older and less active and already housebroken. Most shelters will let you test drive a dog for a while to see if you're a good fit with each other. If you tell the shelter what you're looking for they can keep an eye out for the sort of dog you like and contact you when one comes along.

You may want to also look at the PBGV and Clumber Spaniels.

These may be good breeds for you. There are also a number of breed finder search engines on the internet. You tell it what you want in a dog and it shows you the choices:

http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselector.do

http://www.glowdog.com/bestdog/

http://us.iams.com/iams/en_US/jsp/IAMS_Page.jsp?pageID=DBS

Try them out. While none are perfect, they may help point you in the right direction.

Last, be careful where you get your dog. A puppy from a pet store is generally a bad buy because they're very poorly socialized, prematurely taken from the dam, and not being bred to be good pets. Plus it supports the puppymill industry. A good breeder will make sure the puppy you get is one that suits you. Good breeders breed not only for conformity but for temperament. They pre-screen for genetic defects and diseases, and they will do puppy apptitude testing to make sure you get puppy that's more of a 4 than a 2. Pet shops and backyard breeders won't do that. A good breeder is always a phone call away with help and advice, and should you become unable to care for your dog, will generally take the dog back.

You're looking for a companion to spend quite a few years with you, sharing your home with him, trusting him. The money it costs for a well-bred dog from a good breeder gets paid back easily in the quality of dog you get, the support you receive, usually better health, and a dog that suits what you're looking for in a dog. It's like choosing a spouse! In any litter of puppys one dog could be made for police and security work while another may be suited to assist the disabled; doesn't matter the breed, like people, dogs have individual personalities.

P.S. - I am not a breeder.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much. That has helped a lot. Beagles seem like they would be ok, which is certianly a good thing! :lol-sign:

FoxyWench said:
id suggest either adopting a youngadult dog from a shelter if your looking for a none pedigreed medium sized breed, by adopting an adult you already know how big the dog will get and its personality.

NEVER buy mixed breeds (doodles/poos/ect) from "breeders" your paying for a very espensive mutt, best adopt.

if your looking for a purebreed but not as expensive, ALWAYS look for good breeders and ask them if they have any "pet" quality pups, they usually come on a spay/neuter contract, but are generally cheaper than buying a full registered show dog.

as for breeds, what about a cocker? you want spaniel sized, there great dogs, very sweet, smart and generally calm indoor dogs.
my family has had spaniels all my life and we couldnt have asked for sweeter dogs. i learnt to walk by hoisting myself up on ur first cockers ears and she didnt even bat an eye.
we currently have Charlie and English x American cocker mix and hes such a doll, hes sweet and lets the chis get away with anything, very smart, and indoors hes a real lazy boy, let him out in the garden and he loves to run and play but hes definatly not a hyper dog.

cockers tend to be a little calmer than springers and feild spaneils, ive never met a clumber spaniel but there shorter and stocker but im told still have alot of strong hunt instinct because they havent been extensivly bred away from feild lines.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much.
No, I shall not buy a mixed breed dog, in my opinion, it's cruel and weird looking (sorry to those who own one!)
I will be buying the dog as a puppy, of course not too young though.
I won't just buy the first dog I see, I'll certainly have a good look round before buying.
Cocker Spaniels are cute, but a little fluffy for my liking. The Springers are similar but a little less fluffy. I don't mind if they're quite active, as long as it doesn't disturb my cat too much. Thank you. :)
 
jason_els

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Hi Kathryn!

My concern with the results you received is that the breeds it shows as best for you need plenty of exercise. If you're prepared for that then yes, they could be great dogs for you. I highly suggest going to visit breeders of the breeds which interest you. Meet the dogs and spend a few hours with them to give you a good idea of what they're like and receive the benefit of talking with someone who will tell you straight up if they think the dog is right for you.
 
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Kathryn002

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Thank you. I don't mind giving them a fair amount of exercise, as long as it's not too much.
I only have the time for a 5 or 10 minute walk in the mornings on Monday to Friday, a 20 minute walk in the afternoon, and a 20 minute walk at might. They will get more at the weekend, as I do a fair bit of cycling, and it could come with me.
Thanks again,
Kathryn x :D
 
jason_els

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This is good Kathryn, we're getting closer!

I'd suggest going through the finder again but reduce the amount of exercise which is presently set for High, Medium, Low, to Medium and Low. I'd hate to see you get a dog only to find he becomes destructive or neurotic from lack of exercise. See what happens when you do that.

Another suggestion is to change the training requirement so it's not set to High. As you answered that you'd be a novice handler I think it might work out best for you because when breed people or trainers say some breeds are tough to train, they mean it. Also, if you're working full-time you will not have the time to consistently work with a dog that is difficult to train.
 
Maxy24

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Yes some of the dogs on that test were a bit high energy (Australian Shepherd). Have you ever gone to www.petfinder.com I know you don't want a mix but you may find a purebred rescue dog there. Just wondering why you think it is cruel to get a mutt? and although some may not look like their mix, you would be surprised how similar some can:
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7742317
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7559874
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7665471
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7748788
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7736119
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7738630

and there are so many more! sorry if i seem to be pushing shelter pups too much i just wish they could all have homes and not be passed over because people don't think they are as good of dogs as purebreds. I know if we had chosen a purebred our dog would have been PTS when he was four months old.
 
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Kathryn002

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jason_els said:
This is good Kathryn, we're getting closer!

I'd suggest going through the finder again but reduce the amount of exercise which is presently set for High, Medium, Low, to Medium and Low. I'd hate to see you get a dog only to find he becomes destructive or neurotic from lack of exercise. See what happens when you do that.

Another suggestion is to change the training requirement so it's not set to High. As you answered that you'd be a novice handler I think it might work out best for you because when breed people or trainers say some breeds are tough to train, they mean it. Also, if you're working full-time you will not have the time to consistently work with a dog that is difficult to train.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I must have clicked the wrong button when I was putting in the exercise levels. I shall do the finder again and see what it comes up with. :)

Maxy24 said:
Yes some of the dogs on that test were a bit high energy (Australian Shepherd). Have you ever gone to www.petfinder.com I know you don't want a mix but you may find a purebred rescue dog there. Just wondering why you think it is cruel to get a mutt? and although some may not look like their mix, you would be surprised how similar some can:
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7742317
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7559874
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7665471
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7748788
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7736119
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7738630

and there are so many more! sorry if i seem to be pushing shelter pups too much i just wish they could all have homes and not be passed over because people don't think they are as good of dogs as purebreds. I know if we had chosen a purebred our dog would have been PTS when he was four months old.
Click to expand...
Thanks for all the links. Certainly some beautiful dogs there. :D
I won't be buying for a few months, but I may well buy from a shelter. ;)
Thanks again,
Kathryn
 
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A

AnimalLoverCatRescuer

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If you still like the Beagles, you may want to look into adopting from shelters. There are loads of Beagles who need homes of all ages at pretty good majority of all the shelters around here, I know you are in another country, but they sure are a common breed around here. You can go in with your specifics of what you want in a Beagle and they can help you pick out the right one for you. Search for Beagles on petfinder.com that are close to you and narrow it down from there. Start visiting the one's near you.
 
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Jynx

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I think with the amount of walking you say you wish to do, is not enough for most all of the dogs that came up on your quiz..Beagles aren't couch potatoes, tho there are exceptions to every rule..

the first dog that came to mind for you was a King Charles Cavalier.
My aussies would be bouncing off the walls (or chewing them apart) with that little exercise daily..most (if not all) of the herding breeds require alot of exercise .

All the beagles I've met sure require alot of exercise as well.

Good luck with your search,,checking out what's available in the shelters or thru a purebred rescue if that's the route you wish to go, is definately worth considering.
Diane
 
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FoxyWench

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a cavalier would be a good choice its a smaller spaniel but still sturdy
as for cockers being "fluffy" ours goes in for a cocker cut every 8 weeks (he has the fethering on ears, underside and legs) if you dont want the upkeep of the coat have the cocker shaved down to a puppycut every couple months and itll be no upkeep.
American cockers are a curlier coat than the english cockers which have a beautiful coat! (and of course and english would be easier to find for you)

i think a springer would be a little too high energy.
i wouldnt suggest a beagle, there rather high energy for a little dog and can be somewhat hard to handle for a first time dog owner.
an older adult beagle rescue however might fit your bill perfectly

bassets are a fun breed, just keep a close check on ears and weight, can be stubborn, need a walk but dont need alot of excersize. might not be best choice for a jogging/cycling companion though

goldens and labs of course would work, but might be a bit big for your liking

A Schnauzer might work too, all the ones ive met have been great dogs and they come in 3 different sizes! coat needs a good comb and occasional trimming but nothing all that extensive in a puppy/pet cut.

good luck!
 
Zoom

Zoom

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Honestly, the Cavalier was the first breed that popped into my mind as well. Very sweet, loving dogs, not terribly active, though they can easily tend towards obesity if not given at least some exercise. They get along with just about everyone and everything though and love to be close to you. Pretty easy to train as well.

Beagles sound like a good match, though a few things to be warned off. NEVER trust a beagle off-leash. It might come back, it might not. They're awesome about tuning out everything else in the world when they find something interesting to scent. One of my "half-dogs" is a beagle mix and her selective hearing is amazing sometimes. They're fairly stubborn as well, though with firm but loving direction they do pretty well. They are chow hounds extrordinaire and will eat themselves to death if given the chance. I can count the number of "fit" beagles I've seen on one hand...95% are all pretty chubby. I work with dogs for a living, so I see a lot. They're great about seeming as if they're staaaarving, when you know perfectly well they've just been fed. Also tend to be pretty vocal pretty much all the time. If you rent or live near grouchy neighbors...a beagle may not be the best choice.

Not trying to talk you out of it, just giving you an idea of what you may expect when it comes to owning a beagle.
 
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BlackDog

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Kathryn002 said:
Hi, and thanks. i've completed the questionnaire and it came up with this:
http://www.k9country.com/perl/dogBr...pert=1&state=10&submit=Continue&.cgifields=q1

Personally, I love Beagles, because they have a lovely nature and look gorgeous. How suitable are they for my needs?
I also like spaniels, such as Springer Spaniels. What about those?
Thanks again,
Kathryn x
Click to expand...
a beagle needs a good amount of exercise. They are also not 100% trust worthy with cats/small animals because they were bred to be hunting dogs. Springer spaniel need even more exercise and are even more untrust worthy with other animal, again, because they were bred to hunt.
 
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BlackDog

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FoxyWench said:
bassets are a fun breed, just keep a close check on ears and weight, can be stubborn, need a walk but dont need alot of excersize. might not be best choice for a jogging/cycling companion though
Click to expand...
I wouldn't go with a basset for her living arrangement. They are a hunting breed, not for someone with small pets. Also she said she wanted a dog that was easy to train, again not a basset.
 
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