thinking of dog ownership... dont know what breed

[dogsarebetter]

In about two years the situation should be right for me to own a dog. I am not sure what breeds would work out for me. i just wanted to tell everyone what i want in a dog, and maybe someone can help me out!

-i want a jogging partner! a dog that will be ready to run with me, and with a playfull side. i want a dog that will play frisby with me and maybe even do agility courses!

-i will probably have my own home, but there is a possiblitly i will be renting an apartment. so that means i will need a smaller sized dog. I prefer a medium sized dog anyway.

-MOST importantly I want a dog that if raised around rabbits will be rabbit freindly. i know all dogs have a prey drive, but my rabbits are my babies and i dont want a dog that is likely to be aggressive with them. (they will never be together unsupervised anyway)

-i dont like dogs that are mouthy and chew on you. i dont like slobbering either. i am fine with shedding, i am sure there are ways to keep it under control. also i have no grooming prefrances.

-it would also be nice if the dog could protect the house. maybe even give more than a warning bark. but i dont want it to be agressive with people when i am taking it for a walk, etc.

-i want an active dog but not a yappy hyper dog. id love a dog to snuggle with and spend lazy days on the sofa with.

some breeds i have been considering are:
shelties and bull terriers
and maybe border collies??

ps. i dont mind a strong willed hard headed dog. i prefer a bit of a challenge

 

[dogsarebetter]

oh yeah, i like heelers and aussies too! and anyone know about kelpies? i think they are just in australia tho! i wonder if a siberian husky would work for me? are they a larger dog

 

[Saje]

Your best bet is to get a puppy from a shelter while it's still young enough to be raised around your rabbits. I had rabbits and my newfie wanted to chase them at first but then he was ok. You will never, ever be able to assume that your dog can be left around your rabbits unsupervised. It's just not possible. If raised around them then can probably be loose together but always supervised and give your bunnies lots of places where they can seek shelter. You probably know that.

Anyway, you probably don't want to get heelers or aussies or any herding dog as they like to chase. You probably want a breed or mix that will be quiet and content inside but still wants to go play when outside. I'm not that good with breeds but I'll think about it.

 

[dogsarebetter]

i was thinking of a mix myself. i work at the dog shelter down here and spend lots of time with the adoptable dogs. since i know there personallity maybe it would be best for me just to chose a mix

 

[Renee750il]

I think that's a marvelous idea, Rabbit

 

[Saje]

Even with a mix you can sometimes get a good idea about what their energy levels will be like. I adopted nanook as an adult but just from looking at her mix I knew she'd be high energy. (that's an understatement). She's husky gsd (probably) so you know she's going to be a busy girl.

 

[Saje]

what about a boston terrier (or mix)
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/bostonterrier.htm

 

[Aussie Red]

My Heelers play with my ferrets but I think that may be exceptional. I would never leave them alone together. Heelers can be a lot of work and really may not be a good choice for a first time owner.
I agree that a shelter puppy might be best for a first time owner and for the rabbits.
Happy hunting because there are so many out there just waiting for someone to love.

 

[dogsarebetter]

i love husky mixes myself. maybe a husky mixed with a small dog breed!
boston terriers are a little small for me. i mean, could i go jogging and take it to agility trails?

 

[Saje]

http://bostonterrierclubofamerica.org/faq.html

edit: oops...

Q. Can Boston Terriers do agility?

A. If you want to see something that is not only exciting but fun for the whole family, then find an agility match that has Bostons in it...or go to the BTCA Agility competition held during the BTCA Nationals. There you will see just how athletic a Boston Terrier can really be. They can jump with the best of breeds. They can weave, run, sit & stay, go up and down planks, go through tunnels and anything else that is ask of them. But best of all, they can steal your heart as you watch them compete with all the heart of a true champion. For more information, click HERE.

 

[Mordy]

Try this breed selector. If you are honest about answering all the questions, it's a really great tool.

http://www.k9country.com/perl/dogBreed.pl

Be patient, the site is very slow at times.

 

[dogsarebetter]

thanks. i will try it now. i have tryed a few in the past and totally didnt agree.

 

[dogsarebetter]

that was good! but it didnt help the most important question. i need a dog with not much of a prey drive!
most dogs they listed were the hearding group, and sighthounds

 

[RD]

Honestly I would avoid sighthounds with the rabbits. It's just not a good idea. even if you do get a puppy and raise it with rabbits, they have an instinct to chase little fuzzy things. I would also avoid most of the herding breeds. While some are good with smaller animals, most are a little rough with them. My Border Collie is a saint with the small furries but I know some that would eat them if given the chance.

How about a Miniature or Standard Poodle?

What size do you consider "medium"? Like the size of a Boston Terrier (under 20lbs) or that of a border collie (30-55lbs)

 

[dogsarebetter]

size of a aussie would be nice

 

[bubbatd]

Why is size an issue ?? A Retriever fits all.

 

[dogsarebetter]

the panting that big dogs do drive me crazy.
and its harder to rent with big dogs
they eat more
and well.... there bigger!

 

[casablanca1]

It is harder to rent with bigger dogs, and the cutoff is frequently very low. Toys (12lbs and under) are the most easy to get housing with, then 25lbs, and then 35lbs and under. It's maddening, but true. Don't forget that many breeds that are considered potentially dangerous - pit bulls, bull terriers, GSDs, Rotties, Dobes, etc. - are even harder to find housing with.

I think your idea of simply looking for a suitable personality at the shelter where you work is the best move. Types and breeds can be surprising. I had a terrier/husky mix who I'd always assumed would shred anything she caught. She turned out to have a mouth so soft that she could (and did) carry around 'fainted' possums and unhappy cats without a scratch.

 

[Sprout]

Just go to the pound. Each dog will have its own personality size and shape, and there are normally PLENTY of pups that are desperate for a home in shelters.. so it really couldnt hurt to look. My friend got this dog from the pound (he is so mixed with breeds that its hard to tell what he is lol), and he sounds a lot like what you want.. and Im sure theres many dogs out there that fit what youre looking for
And I would suggest getting a dog when its younger so that you can teach it to respect smaller pets while its young

Good luck!

 

[stevinski]

affenpinscher, do some reserch on them, they fit most of it, and they are gorgeous.

also you could try with a sheltie, but shelties can be hyper, try to go for show lines rather then working lines if you get a sheltie.