little sisters first dog

iheartsammy

iheartsammy

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My little sister is 9 and will be getting a puppy for her birthday. (of course with help from me and our family) I was wondering what breed would be good for a begginer. She likes Golden Retrievers and Border Collies, any other breeds u think would be good? and my mom wants it to be a purebred too. (I think she's tired of our rat looking mutt dogs..lol)
 
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gaddylovesdogs

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How much time is she willing to spend exercising the dog each day?
How much time she willing to spend training the dog each day?
Is she willing to come home from school immediately to take care of the dog (is she willing to sacrifice some social stuff to take care of the dog)?

I don't think a border collie would be a good idea for a nine-year-old beginner. They're crazy dogs lol. My girl isn't purebred, but she has a lot of border collie in her. She is insanely smart and loves to outsmart unexpecting humans. She loves exercise and if she doesn't get enough, she gets grumpy and whiney.
 
iheartsammy

iheartsammy

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Ok, well she did have a dog once...but it died at 6 months due to a heart tumer..She was really good with her, always played with her, fed her, etc...
 
RD

RD

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I'm hesitant to recommend a Border Collie for a 9 year old without a lot of knowledge on the subject of dogs and dog behavior. BCs are sneaky and will completely own you within a few days if they don't respect you.

It does seem like she likes playful dogs, and I wouldn't rule out the BC entirely but I would probably try checking shelters and rescues for Border Collies rather than getting a pup. BC puppies are adorable but their adolescence is a royal pain... and often times with adult rescues, you can pick slightly calmer, more passive individuals that will still be active enough to keep up with your sister.
 
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MyIrishWolfie

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I dont know if should say this but giving a pet such as a dog (or any animal) as a birthday present isnt such a hot idea.. especially to a kid. The dog will be "new" for a few days but that newness wears off and your stuck with a kid who dosent want to take care of it so the parents are left to take care of it. Hopefully this wont happen to your sisters dog. I really liked the questions gaddylovesdogs put in her post. They are something to think about before considering such a big responsibility. Good Luck!!
 
iheartsammy

iheartsammy

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ok, for her birthday isn't really the right way to say it...and it's not really just for her to take care of, kinda a family pet...and believe me u don't know her like I do! and she would NEVER neglect a puppy like that and if she did she would have to put up with me bugging her all the time.. U know she doesn't even remind me of a 9 year old, seriously she could be mistaken for middle schooler...:p

Also I understand where your coming from and I even told her owning a dog isn't all fun and games, there are some good things as well as bad thing that will happen. I told her she should get a rat or a bunny before a dog...
 
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MyIrishWolfie

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iheartsammy said:
ok, for her birthday isn't really the right way to say it...and it's not really just for her to take care of, kinda a family pet...and believe me u don't know her like I do! and she would NEVER neglect a puppy like that and if she did she would have to put up with me bugging her all the time.. U know she doesn't even remind me of a 9 year old, seriously she could be mistaken for middle schooler...:p

Also I understand where your coming from and I even told her owning a dog isn't all fun and games, there are some good things as well as bad thing that will happen. I told her she should get a rat or a bunny before a dog...
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Seems like she's pretty responsible then :) Like I said earlier.. Good Luck with the pup. Between the 2 breeds your considering, I'd get the Golden then the Border Collie.
 
iheartsammy

iheartsammy

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thanx! thats what I was thinking... I appriciate (spelling?) your consern raising a puppy isn't something most 9/10 year olds can do! but then again she ain't like most...lol
 
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Kay

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I'd just like to put in about the "bunny" comment; Rabbits aren't usually pets for kids. They are social animals and so need to be two to be happy (usually), and most kids want to pick up, carry around, cuddle rabbits. Most rabbits HATE to be picked up, they would rather be near their owner, being pet, while their owner is sitting on the floor or on the couch next to them. Rabbits are more work than most people think, and are not for kids, only for kids who have knowledgeable adults helping the kid look after them.
 
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oc_spirit

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Between the two deffinately a Golden Retriever. Border Collies are way too intense and way too driven to just be a family pet. They need high amounts of excercise, always need their brains challenged and most of all, they need a job.
 
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gaddylovesdogs

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I'd go for a young golden from a shelter - already housetrained, but still young enough to have lots of energy and be a good dog for a nine-year-old. As many other people have said, Border Collies are just very intense dogs. They're amazing dogs, but can be challenging for someone that doesn't want to spend a lot of time training, exercising, and just being with the dog. I have to disagree with oc about them being family pets, as that's what my dog is, but my definition of family pet includes training sessions every day to keep her mind busy, long walks, and spending the majority of her time with me. We have a very close bond and she is very loyal to me.
 
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oc_spirit

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gaddylovesdogs said:
I have to disagree with oc about them being family pets, as that's what my dog is, but my definition of family pet includes training sessions every day to keep her mind busy, long walks, and spending the majority of her time with me. We have a very close bond and she is very loyal to me.
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I meant family pet as in your average American household family pet ;) Of course a dog who is intensely trained and/or has a job is a family pet too! My boys are both working dogs but they''re family pets first.
 
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KittenBudu

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iheartsammy said:
my mom doesn't want to get a small dog, she's afraid we'll step on them...lol...no really out family is full of giants! :D lol
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IF not little dogs then I dunno. If you want a big dog I would go for a golden retriever!
 
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