What kind of dog should I get?

[lostsoul62]

I had a Golden for 9 years so a Golden or anything that looks like one wouldn't be good for me because I am overly sensitive. I am a 62 year old male and have bad feet and back. I have an electric scooter. A medium size dog. Long hair. Female because she will be a 100% house dog. I have a house. A one man dog because my golden was an everyone man's dog. I really need a lot of help on this because I really have a hard time making decisions. I want a pure breed because it will take me a month to deicide. I've done about 10 hours of research and will do a lot more. I guess I don't need a high energy dog so I just don't know. Any ideas.

 

[Gsd_pitboxer]

Large or small ? I could definitly give you some great ideas.

 

[bubbatd]

Having owned Goldens for over 60 years I obviously love them ! I knew I shouldn't go puppy , but found Ollie in petfinder . Half Golden but all the great traits . If I hadn't found him the night I had to put my Chip down , I would have gone to rescue or HS . Luckily my Goldens at the Bridge sent him to me . The right one will find you !

 

[lostsoul62]

We are all different

If I hadn't found him the night I had to put my Chip down , I would have gone to rescue or HS . Luckily my Goldens at the Bridge sent him to me . The right one will find you ![/QUOTE]

After I lost my Golden I had to get rid of everything she had and a month and a half later I still can't look at any of her pictures. I won't be strong enough for another dog for at least another month or two. I am moving to another state because I could never bring another dog into my house where my Golden lived. I loved my Golden so much I still cry over her.

 

[Gsd_pitboxer]

Thats terrible . Im here if you need someone to talk to

 

[smkie]

WHen i lost Mary's son Bronki due to cancer i thought i was going to lose her too. SHE woudln't eat, all the light had gone out of her eyes. AFter 2 weeks I was desperate. I went to Pet adoption: Want a dog or cat? Adopt a pet on Petfinder and started looking. I had no money for an adoption fee, everything i had just went for Bronki but i looked anyway. Day after day I didn't see one that was right at all. I had a friend that offered to buy me any pup i wanted from a breeder in three months. There was no way I was waiting that long. On April 1 i saw the one. I saw Matthew (now victor) and I immediantly wrote her without much hope. I told her we were two mothers without a baby boy to love and how I was afraid Mary was going to slip away from me. We needed this pup. I didn't have the adoption fee but i could promise her backup vet care and a good home. I told her i was an illustrator and i could send her some gift certificates in trade. IT was all i had to offer. After some problems with connecting thanks to Kelly she called back and said did I want her to bring him to me? I said oh no I will come. I took Mary and my daughter with me. It was a good thing i had made up my mind before i went because that pup was a disaster. All legs and desperation with a high quantity of hyperactivity on top of it. We joked about his rubberneck on teh way home. His head swiveled trying to take in every car and farm we pasted. He had issues and a lot of them. Mary liked him well enough until she found out he was staying. THen she didn't talk or look at me for three weeks. He pestered her, he teased her, he stuck to her like glue. HE bounced off the walls and made me go to the park at 6 am for pure relief. He healed us BECAUSE he needed us so badly. IT wasnt' a matter of waiting until we were stronger, it was his need that MADE us get up and live again. My mother told me "you don't have to do this." i was sick and we all knew it. LOng term sick. SHe said "take him back". There was no way i was doing that. He has helped me fight this chronic lyme by creating an atmosphere of activity and his pure joy of movement.

I pray you find whatever dog you need. I am letting my Mary go across the bridge tomorrow. I understand fully the pain. IT is a small price to pay for what they give us and we can bear it for them and because of them.

 

[Gsd_pitboxer]

I think a St.Bernard would suit you .

 

[smkie]

ONe thing to check too. My SO died of cancer and did not make arrangements for his dogs. I could not take them because his dog and my dog were bitter enemies. BOth alphas and both jealous of each other. I had told him when he found out he had cancer that he should try online to set up arrangements so they would go to someplace where he would know they could be taken care of as he cared for them. HE didn't and they ended up at his son's which was a very bad idea. Maybe you can look around on line and see if there are any dogs in a situation like this. It would give you strength to help them find their way into a new life and you would receive a dog that is already hopefuly had it's basics trained.
I honestly do not see how with limited mobility you could handle anything like an untrained large dog. Maybe I am wrong but i have a hard time seeing it as being possible.

 

[Zoom]

I don't know about breed, but I would look for an older dog, around 5 or 6, out of a good rescue group. I think a dog that was given up because of a stupid move or something like that would be a good match, as they'll most likely already be trained for the basics and housebroken. At that age, they'll still have plenty of bounce in their step but they won't be gyrating off the walls.

Maybe look for a Golden mix?

 

[Saintgirl]

Unless I am missing out on some of the other qualities that you are looking for I do not recommend a Saint Bernard. You said that you wanted a medium sized breed and a saint is a GIANT (mine weighs 180lbs). You also said that you wanted a one man kind of dog which once again a Saint is not. They love attention from just about anyone and they do draw alot of attention because of their shear size. Saints are also called one of the heart break breeds because they have a short life span, another thing that I think you would like to try to stay away from. Don't get me wrong, I think that they are a wonderful breed but they do require a different kind of owner!

I think a breed rescue would be a great idea too. In your condition a pup could prove to be very difficult and even the lowest activity breed could still be full of it when they are young. A clumber spaniel might be interesting to you. A medium sized dog with longer hair and they are aloof with strangers. Just some food for thought.

 

[FoxyWench]

wel according to your other thread you want a PUPPY and arnt willing to give an older dog a thought...

a medium breed could fit any numbumber of size categories, a 25lb dog is medium...a 40lbs dog is medium, a 60lb dog to some is a medium sized dog...

so heres some ideas.
im going to list breeds with low-medium energy levels, due to your mobilitiy issues, this will likley rule out many working breeds and terriers simply because those are high energy breeds that need to run and need a job.

im also going to add that a puppy is NOT a good idea for a mobility impaired person, lots of stooping bending and ALL puppies are high energy.
so im going to suggest you look for a dog about 2 yrs old...
by this point they are still very young, still have the majority of their life ahead of them, still young enough to learn and absolutly young enough to bond to their person...
most by that age are house broken, and have at least basic training (many breeders have 2-3 yr old dogs available to good pet homes because they didnt quite pan out for show ect)
that leads to my next point...
contact brreders and ask if they do have any YOUNG dogs available to pet homes that didnt quite fit the show ring ect...
you can find an amazing pet whos often already very well trained this way!

i know you "realy want a puppy"
but you have to keep THE DOGS best interests in mind...
are you honestly going to be able to keep up with a highly energetic, mischevious dog with no manners.
are you going to be able to bend down to clean up accidents, are you going to eb able to catch puppy mid accident pick it up and get it outside to finnish up...
ect.

that all being said...
some breeds ive had experience with that MIGHT work for you given the right dog, of the right age...

American Pit Bull Terrier...these dogs are short haired and high energy as a breed generally, BUT an older already trained APBT well socilized with the right temperment match for you coule be an ideal companion, they love thier people are very attatched, inteligent and while they can be stubborn goofballs they love to please their people.

Cocker spaniel, american or english...get a rescue or from a VERY repuatable breeder to avoid the temperment issues the breed aparently has.
i grew up with cockers, the breed is supposed to be happy go lucky, merry and sweet.
lots of mills and BYBS have given the breed a reputation to bite...so be VERY diligent about finding a good breeder.
this breed is a Small-medium breed, english are bigger, long haired, easy to train (agian assuming good lines) and VERY loving (again assuming good lines).
personally i feel this gould be a great match for you as a general breed, there ower energy than most of the other spaniels, and generally while not the brightest crayon in the box they are very eager to please.

charlie loves to go for walks and have a real good run...but hes also happy to curl up next to you and snuggle.

a golden...as hard as that might be for you, a golden would be a potentially good match...

an older lab...some labs are insane, but some are sweethearts...i absolutly would NOT suggest a lab puppy though.

tibetan terrier...every one ive met have been wonderfull, on the smaller end of medium though. they do need a deacent amount of excersize but there also very adaptive to their people.

if your willing to expand your serch to smaller breeds theres a good number of small breds that would also realy suit you.

 

[Lolas Dad]

Try this and see what it suggests:

Animal Planet :: Guides :: Dog Breed Selector