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I want to get a dog
noir_blood
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Okay, so I pretty much have always wanted a dog, but have put it off cause I live in an apartment. Today I was at the mall and saw this pomerinian that just.... well, if my gf hadn't stopped me, I would have walked out with it.
It did get me thinking seriously thinking about dog ownership though, and so I come to the collective wisdom of Pa for help.
Is there such a thing as apartment dogs? I don't see myself owning a yard any time soon, so the dog would spend most of their time in the apartment. I get home at around 6 everyday, and I have ni issues taking them for daily walks and parks in the weekend, but is that enough?
What breeds are recommended?
Any place I should be looking for to get the dog from? Price ranges?
As someone that has never own a dog. What would be some advice or tips you would give me?
I figure this will either help me get a dog, or put it off until its realistically possible
It did get me thinking seriously thinking about dog ownership though, and so I come to the collective wisdom of Pa for help.
Is there such a thing as apartment dogs? I don't see myself owning a yard any time soon, so the dog would spend most of their time in the apartment. I get home at around 6 everyday, and I have ni issues taking them for daily walks and parks in the weekend, but is that enough?
What breeds are recommended?
Any place I should be looking for to get the dog from? Price ranges?
As someone that has never own a dog. What would be some advice or tips you would give me?
I figure this will either help me get a dog, or put it off until its realistically possible
noir_blood on
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it will be EXPENSIVE.
adoption costs (or purchase cost)
food costs
"accessory cost" (leashes, toys, beds, collars, bones, treats, etc etc etc)
damaged furniture is almost a guarantee at some point.
vet costs (you should always have somewhere in the range of $300-$1000 min available in case of medical emergency, unless you insure your animal, in which case there's insurance premiums!)
and of course, time.
Time to wash,
time to groom,
time to walk,
time to simply play with him/her,
time to make arrangements if you travel ever,
time to check in with the animal between work and going out with friends,
Remember, if someone can't be around this animal for at least 4/5 hours every single day, that's really not fair to the animal.
money money money time time time.
Animals are a huge responsibility.
That said the rewards are many and dogs are awesome, LOVE EM, just be prepared to make a significant investment.
If you are gone 6-8 hours a day for work and don't have someone who can come over every 2 hours you'll need an adult dog. A puppy just can't hold it for that long. I'd look at your local shelter/rescues and see what's available. I know some of the humane societies around here have something they call the "perfect match" program. They evaluate the dogs on a number of scales, energy being one, and they rate them accordingly. You just answer the survey and see what rating of dog you are best suited for.
Another think in an apartment is noise. Pom's are notoriously yappy and territorial. Beagles and hounds make a lot of noise. Things like this may make for unhappy neighbors.
I have a shelter dog in my apartment and he's pretty awesome. He's all snuggly and lazy. He loves going for walks but really just wants to lay on the couch next to me. We've pretty much stopped trying to go to the dog park as he doesn't really like other dogs and just sits at my feet there, he likes being on leash more.
So my slightly confused ramble is go for it, just do your research on the dog you're thinking about.
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I'm partial to Miniature Pinschers, myself. They have a short coat so grooming isn't a huge issue. You just need to make sure to train them well and let them know that you're the boss around here, not them. You also need to make sure that all small objects (pens, lighters, things of that nature) are up where they can't reach them and that they have plenty of chew toys.
Some have said that they're not be the best dog for a first time owner, but I've known first time owners who have never had any major problems with them.
Purebreds are cool, but if you're not going to show it you might as well save a dogs life.
Even then though, if you want a certain breed, there are lots of rescues around the country that cater to specific breeds.
I think a Pug might be a good choice, they don't bark much, and are pretty chill.
Personally, I think you will get the best results by working with a rescue (dogs are usually kept in private homes, a few per home) as opposed to a shelter. Dogs in a shelter are generally either hyped up or stressed out and can act very different from how they will once they get home. I have one dog from a shelter and one from a rescue and I definitely knew a lot more about the dog from the rescue. In addition rescues will answer all your first time dog owner questions and a shelter generally won't do much communication after you adopt.
My personal bias is strongly towards dogs under ~40lbs for apartments. That way they are small enough it is easy to find space for their crate in a small apartment and you can likely play some fetch and tug indoors where you wouldn't be able to do that with a larger dog.
Even if you want a purebred they aren't hard to find in a shelter/rescue and the AKC has a program set up to certify them to compete in everything other than the competitions that are specifically for picking out good breeding stock.
I had never had a dog in my life before I got my dog (I can't believe it has been three years). My thoughts:
-have some people you can ask stupid questions because you will have some
-get a leash, a bowl, a crate and some cleaning supplies before you get your dog, wait on everything else (we had so many toys he had zero interest in and had to go buy a bunch more of a different type)
-have an unopened bottle of hydrogen peroxide on hand (a couple tablespoons in milk and your dog will happily drink it and then throw up)
-do some reading on how dogs learn, it is sooo much easier to build good habits from the start rather than try to fix problems
(my personal favourites are Before and After you get your puppy by Ian Dunbar (yes they are about puppies, but they have a lot of good information and they are free), The other end of the leash by Patricia McConnell and Click for Joy by Melissa Alexander)
just for teh infoz
http://www.ncgl.ca/
I can second the rescue greyhounds. My step-mom had two of them, and they were some of the most timid, sweetest dogs I've ever encountered.
1. i wouldn't recommend getting a dog if you live alone... although you may get home at 6 99% of the time, don't forget about those times when you hit up happy hour with coworkers or have to stay late working on a project, etc. also don't forget travel... it's difficult with a dog, and expensive if you leave the dog with a sitter
2. mall pet store dogs are almost guaranteed to have come from a puppy mill... these operations are fucking evil if you care about dogs, so please consider adopting or buying from a reputable breeder instead
that said, getting a dog is an absolutely fantastic and life changing experience... from that point on, every time you come home, a little creature that's absolutely ecstatic to see you will meet you at the door.... you'll have a best friend to play with and a new family member to take care of... basically: Dogs Rule.
Or, ditto on killing two birds with one stone with a retired racing greyhound. They're very mellow, very sweet dogs, and you can Google or use Petfinder to find rescue groups near you.
Edit: Miniature poodle is a really good one too as far as pure breeds go, but are probably pricey and I know a lot of people don't like how they look. Incredibly intelligent though.
A friend has a rescue greyhound and this description fits it very well. However, you should be careful, as some of them have real trouble adapting to "normal" life. Liz's dog, for example, had no idea how to climb down stairs, because it had never had to before. And it's very, very shy; I've met her five times and the most interaction I've had with it was a quick sniff on my hand, and then it ran away like a deer.
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For example, I used to run with a German Shepard 2 hours a day, ever day (hour in morning, hour at night) and it was still waiting more; but I know of some people that have a GS and only take their dog outside when it needs to poop. A dog like that needs to run and exercise and play; not sit inside all the time. It was built and born to run; not to sit at your feet while you watch TV.
My suggestion is "if you're not already walking/running an hour a day as it is; don't get a dog". Smaller dogs probably require less; but keeping it cooped up seems mean.
Also like others have said, if you live alone you need to think about the dog. They are social animals. I'm assuming you work/sleep normally... so given that, you are going to be "away or inaccessible" for 16 hours of a 24 hour day. What's the dog going to do during that time? Also if you are like most people that other 8 hours of "free time" is going to be used up by school, consulting, hanging out with friends, relaxing, etc... so realistically how much time are you going to be spending with it?
Lastly, from what I've read; it seems that "mutts" are ussually more healthily then pure breeds. Read up on any breed you might get, some tend to have nasty "side effects". Mutts are typically more genetically diverse which can make them more resilient to negative traits.
Seconded on the get a mutt, our dog is a Jack Russel/(Probably) Kelpie and he's adorable, has a wonderful temperament, only barks when he's been out wandering around and wants to come back in and has never had any health problems that haven't been caused by accidents. Some of the health problems pure breeds can get are fucking horrific and the breeders encouraging unhealthy traits to live up to some arseholes breed standards are scum who need a fucking priority check.
My 2.5 year old 80lbs Weimaraner and I currently share a 750 square foot apartment - and the breed is about as energetic and high-strung as they come. Situations in life change, so get the kind of dog you want, not the kind of dog that "fits your lifestyle right now". The key, for any large (especially hunting) breed is exercise. Lots of it. Take up running. Seriously.
This is something that is rarely considered but needs to be thought of. These are excellent questions to ask.
I plan on crate training my pup as well, so he/she will really need some excercisin' when i get home.
To clear up a point, I live with my gf, so there would be two people.
And I'm defiantely going to be looking into shelters/humane societies now, as you guys are probably right about raising a puppy would be more time intensive.
You do have to be willing to pick up a couple of massive craps everyday though. Also they shed and drool a lot so hardwood floors are better than carpets with them.
But they are awesome (my dog which I got after making a similar thread on this forum...I live in a condo).
Everyone must click those links now; his Franklin is an is amazing bea- ... dog.
Also, mental exercise is a wonderful wonderful thing. All dogs needs 30-60min of good physical exercise everyday but it is a lot easier and less time consuming to mentally tire them out the rest of the way rather than physically.
And for the price you pay you could usually get a dog from a reputable breeder who shows/trials their dogs, cares about them, and health tests them.
Anyway, I would go with either a shelter/rescue dog or a reputable breeder. But it is a pain in the butt to find a reputable breeder for most small breeds because they are so popular, so I would tend towards the rescue route.
Some large dogs are also good apartment dogs, but it's much easier to find apartments that accept small dogs. (Greyhounds are awesome apartment dogs, total couch potatos.)
Regarding poms in particular, I would say they're good apartment dogs, BUT they are stubborn and may be too much for a first time dog owner (I assume?) to train. They were originally 40 lb sled dogs (yes, really) and they have that independent nordic temperament.
She was about 30ish pound. Just under medium sized dog. Most beautiful dog ever. Exceptionally clean, alway grooming her paws. I only had to take her to be groomed about twice a year when she shed her seasonal coats. I have heard they can be yappy? Honestly, she only barked when she sense danger afoot! I have heard the puppies are insanely easy to house train.
My GF and I are seriously considering getting a Shibu Inu. I really love the looks of those dogs. The only thing really stopping us is the fact that we've never met one in person.
He was about 8 years old and happily slept most of the time, but I felt completely guilty every time I had to go to work. I figure he didn't mind, because whenever I would come home I'd feel a very warm spot on the couch where he'd been sneakily hanging out.
Walking him twice a day was a bit of a bitch, but hey, exercise!
So keep that in mind. Your neighbours who work from home might be pissed off if you can't keep it quiet during the day -- so look forward to having your lunch times gone as well.
The more I learn about them the more awesome they seem. Smart, super-clean, usually quiet.
What troubles me is this: (from Wikipedia)
I've never heard the scream, but that does seem like it would be annoying.
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Yeah, they have an extremely grating bark, although I see lots of people living in apartments with beagles anyway.
My dream dog was always a black and tan hound, but I ended up adopting a homeless pit instead, whom I really love.
To the OP though, I don't think I've ever met a Pomeranian that wasn't a mean spirted little yapper, my neighbor has one and it regularly tries to pick fights with my Pit. I suspect though it's more because she's just not a very good owner/trainer and never disciplines the dog or properly socialized her as a pup.
Speaking of Pits, check with your apartment complex before adopting what might be considered an "aggressive breed" (whether you feel that label is right or wrong is a debate for another thread). Also, some local townships have banned certain breeds from residing within the town limits, so check local laws as well. There are actually some towns scattered across the North I can't take my dog because he is considered dangerous.
http://cdn-www.dailypuppy.com/media/dogs/anonymous/maya_weimaraner_01.jpg_w450.jpg
(not mine)
Bad behavior is bad behavior, some people with Poms tend to think that their aggressiveness is cute or part of their "personality". Really the owner's suck and are lazy and the dog's been spoiled.