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I have a question about getting a dog. At the end of the year I plan to move from my rented apartment in to my first home. I'm thinking about adopting a dog some point soon after, but I'm admittedly clueless about owning a dog, and the first question would be what kind of breed would be appropriate for my situation. I live by myself, so the animal would basically be alone when I'm at work and whenever I went out. I would also prefer a medium-sized breed; I don't like small dogs but a huge dog would overwhelm me. Something that has reasonable grooming requirements is a plus too (for example, a short-hair dog). Something like a lab/retriever seems like it would fit my needs, but I'm not sure. Also, an adult dog would be preferred where training is not as much of an issue. I guess what I really need is good resources to decide a) What breed(s) are appropriate for someone in my situation b) What are the specific responsibilities for said breed (i.e. how much exercise it needs, how often to feed it, how often it needs grooming, medical needs, etc.) I'm sure there are books on these topics, but I'd like to know what you recommend.
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May 12, 2011 20:07
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| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 11:25 |
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I did say I wanted an adult dog in my post. I usually go to the gym after work 3x/week, so it sounds like that might be an issue. On the other days I'd be home after work, at least long enough to take care of food/exercise/etc. I'm not sure if there are breeds that are more "independent" and can deal with being alone for longer amounts of time, or not.
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May 13, 2011 07:31
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I guess I should have mentioned that I don't like cats. I'm not sure why, but I've never gotten along with cats when I've been around them. I don't have many commitments in my life actually, and I would enjoy getting exercise with the dog and giving it plenty of attention, but if I felt that I had to absolutely be home first thing after work each day that might give me some problems as I mentioned. What if the dog was trained to do certain things (like go to the bathroom in a certain spot) indoors?
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May 13, 2011 07:47
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A professional dog walker that could come by to attend to the dog on weekdays is something I would seriously consider, though I have no idea how much something like that would cost. Another alternative is to use walking/running with the dog as my exercise instead and come home right after work. I guess my big concern is that the dog doesn't get too lonely while I'm gone; I would just feel guilty about that. Oh, right now I'm gone from about 9-7 on those days, though when I move my commute while be a bit longer as I can just walk to work right now. One place I'm considering has a weight limit on dogs (25 lbs.) which I take more to mean a breed limit. Are the exercise requirements for these dogs (I would think this would be mostly terriers) be any different than larger dogs? actionjackson fucked around with this message at 08:01 on May 13, 2011 |
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May 13, 2011 07:58
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2508084 posted:Why exactly do you want a dog because your entire life seems to be the complete opposite in regards to the needs of a dog. You're going to be gone 12 hours a day, lets assume you sleep 6. 18 of 24 hours that a social, active animal will be left alone. Thats not including time spent leaving the house, going out with friends, errands, etc. You don't have to spend 12 hours a day with your animal, but it seems that you really do not have the time for a dog. You're probably right, which is why I was asking these questions in the first place. It sounds like it's really hard to own a dog if you live alone. edit: I was kind of surprised about the bathroom thing though - there's really no way to train your dog to go to the bathroom in a specific place that's indoors? actionjackson fucked around with this message at 19:33 on May 13, 2011 |
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May 13, 2011 19:27
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wtftastic posted:Its not that bad, but a 9-5 job is a lot more do-able. Not only that but going to the gym right afterwards makes it harder. I think if I could come home right after work and combine talking the dog out with an exercise routine of some sort that would be okay.
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May 13, 2011 19:37
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Yeah, I'll do that. I guess I did run into one cat I got along with, but the rest just snarled at me. But certainly their bathroom habits would be much more convenient on my end, especially in situations where I'm out of town for the weekend. I don't know, I've just always loved my interactions with dogs much more, but I'm clearly mostly clueless about them. For the bathroom thing, if you take them out in the morning and right when you get home from work is that usually adequate, or do they need to be taken out in the middle of the day as well?
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May 13, 2011 20:46
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Would you guys recommend this book? http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Singles-Guide-Being-Owner/dp/1598697234 Sounds like it'd be useful in deciding whether a dog would still be right for me.
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May 14, 2011 03:06
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So people who have dogs and work normal hours I assume pretty much all hire someone to tend to the animal during the day on weekdays? Even if you come home right after work, that's still about nine hours at a minimum between being let outside in the morning and when you get home.
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May 14, 2011 03:56
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Yeah I saw that. I would definitely only consider an adult dog that was pretty  The Greyhound suggestion sounds like a good avenue to explore. I always associated them with needing a lot of exercise because they're so drat quick, but I guess not. Does them being an exception have to do with their racing background? actionjackson fucked around with this message at 04:17 on May 14, 2011 |
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May 14, 2011 04:12
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Yeah I was looking up more info and it sounds perfect for me, especially since they like to spend most of the time just lying around and/or sleeping. The fact that they can be fine by themselves for the duration of a typical workday is key. Where would you be able to let it run though (given it's running speed gets up to 35-40 mph)?
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May 14, 2011 07:47
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I went through http://gpa-mn.org/faq.php and that stuff was mentioned. They have "meet and greets" every Saturday at various Petco's, so I'll probably go to one of those at some point. On their application they ask "why do you want to adopt a retired racing greyhound?" I'm trying to think of how to answer that without just sounding lazy, because honestly the main reasons are that it would be easier to take care of relative to other dogs, especially for someone who lives alone. Greyhounds seem to prefer to just sit around and chill a lot rather than demanding your attention every waking hour of the day.
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May 14, 2011 08:58
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Fraction posted:Well, just word it differently: you want a calm, relaxed adult dog who can keep you company on brisk walks and in the evenings at home, and who can deal comfortably with being alone for a full working day. The shelter will know which dog is right for you though, so just be honest (but positively honest) as you can if and when you go to see them. Good idea, thanks! I'm not going to be moving until the end of the year, but I'll keep all this in mind.
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May 14, 2011 16:30
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I'm doing more research on the greyhound rescue thing. I had the impression that they could be left alone during the workday longer than other dogs (I think that's why it was recommended to me), but I've found other websites that claim that still need to be let out, walked etc. in the middle of the day. I wanted to get some clarification on this as doing so would add a lot to my possible expenses.
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May 16, 2011 03:13
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That was another thing I found a lot of disagreement on (crating). Some people think it's ok just in the beginning, others think it's cruel and prefer you just use a gate to keep the dog confined but to a larger area. To give you an idea of my situation, I'm probably going to be moving into a split-level townhome this fall (it has a pet number restriction, but not weight/size restriction). The bottom floor has a larger bedroom, smaller bedroom, bathroom and laundry/utility room. I thought the idea of having the dog stay in the smaller room with whatever it needs but being allowed to go out in the hallway would be a possibility (I would keep the other doors closed, and use a gate so it can't go up the stairs). It was also recommended that the greyhound sleep in the same room as the owner. I would be more than fine with feeding and letting the dog outside in the morning, right away when I get home from work and then also letting it out at night. There's also a fully enclosed patio area where I could let it do its business. The only downside of being a townhome is that they almost certainly wouldn't let me install a dog door to the patio area as that would involving modifying the outside of the home. actionjackson fucked around with this message at 03:41 on May 16, 2011 |
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May 16, 2011 03:38
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No worries, thanks for the feedback. It's just a lot of information to process for myself. Once I go to one of the GPA meet and greets that should help me sort things out more.
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May 16, 2011 04:02
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skoolmunkee posted:You try not peeing for 9 or 10 hours every day, see how you like it! I'm just going off the information from the greyhound rescue that I would use for adoption, if I decide to do so: "They need to go out 3-4 times per day, and can typically last a standard work day between bathroom breaks." I had assumed something like this was why people recommended this breed to me. Otherwise if we're talking about a dog that needs to be talking out during the day, I should have a lot of other breeds that would meet my criteria as well (mainly in regards to exercise schedule and cost of grooming).
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May 16, 2011 21:15
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Regarding my postings about greyhounds earlier, I emailed the adoption coordinator for GPA here in Minnesota and I got a nice reply answering all my questions. So I think everything is moving along smoothly so far. I don't plan on moving into my new place until September but I figure it's good to start planning early.
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May 19, 2011 05:27
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Professor Skittles posted:anyone know what my dog died from. She was peeing blood, or leaking it from somewhere all over the house. We took her to the vet, got pills for a uti. She was better for one day. Then all of a sudden she would only stand, and looked like she was dazed, she wouldn't eat anything. she kept on going upstairs for some reason, and just stand there in a stupor. she was a collie shepard mix. we had her for 15 years, rip sparky That's terrible! My condolences.
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May 23, 2011 20:35
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So I took the next step into possibly adopting a greyhound by picking up "Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies" and read it over the weekend. I did have some confusion when this book claimed that during the day the dog shouldn't be in a crate for more than a couple hours at a time? That can't be right. I'm also unclear when people say "crating" if they mean locked in the crate, or simply in a crate with the door open if they want to walk around. I assume the former, and that you would just put water/toys/blanket inside. I was also curious on the medical end about health insurance - Is this worth buying for pets? I have no idea how much something like this would cost in the first place. I'm going to be moving into a condo that's very pet friendly, and there's no stairs which is probably a good thing for a greyhound anyway, at least initially.
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Jun 1, 2011 22:02
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RazorBunny posted:Thanks for the advice.
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Jun 2, 2011 05:13
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I'm hoping to get a greyhound from GPA-MN this fall, when I'll be moved into my new home (well, condo). Should I start filling out an application now, or wait until I'm moved in? I asked because I assume it takes a while to process everything. I really fell in love with these animals when I went to a meet and greet last weekend. So docile and loving.
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Jun 10, 2011 20:15
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aksuur posted:What are some dog breeds that smell the least and do not shed? Poodles are out of the question. greyhounds
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Jun 23, 2011 06:21
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Well any dog sheds a little bit I would assume, but greyhounds have pretty thin coats obviously.
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Jun 23, 2011 06:45
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nm
actionjackson fucked around with this message at 04:25 on Aug 23, 2011 |
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Aug 23, 2011 03:11
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I left Abby in her crate for about an hour tonight. Since it was dinner time I put her bowl in the corner, but when I came back I found she had tipped it over, leaving her without water and food (it got her towel wet and the food was scattered all over). I obviously want to avoid this happening again (I usually feed her in the kitchen, but if I have to leave in the morning and she isn't hungry yet I'll have to put it in her crate). For now I just used this S-hook, would the best idea be to buy some velcro strips? There's a hard "pan" on the bottom so adhesion shouldn't be an issue.
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Aug 29, 2011 02:16
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This isn't a few hours, it's the whole workday. I would only leave it in there if she didn't touch it before I left. Normally I wouldn't leave anything, even water when I'm at work - this is what the GPA adoption coordinator suggested (obviously I'd have water on hand at all times when I'm at home).
actionjackson fucked around with this message at 04:16 on Aug 29, 2011 |
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Aug 29, 2011 04:12
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Update: I was worried she wouldn't eat before getting in the crate this morning, but she just started. I think it just takes her a while, she'd been up for an hour.
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Aug 29, 2011 13:29
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MoCookies posted:I'll 2nd the suggestion of picking up their food bowl if the dog doesn't eat immediately. Encouraging them to eat can put you in the lovely cycle of the dog ignoring their food because they've learned that you'll eventually up the ante with additional treats, wet food, etc. No kowtowing - dogs on the other side of the world literally fight each other for the privilege to eat garbage. Dogs will eat (and eat anything you offer) if they're good and hungry. Skipping a meal isn't going to hurt them, though of course skipping multiple meals in a row is something that might indicate a vet visit is in order. Some people even fast their dogs on a regular basis as a matter of course (I've seen this recommended mostly on raw feeding websites and from working dog kennels.). You're saying if she doesn't eat right away (or at least within a few minutes), I should deprive her of food/water for 8+ hours? Seems a tad harsh, though I understand the concept, and it would save me time in the morning.
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Aug 30, 2011 01:52
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Good advice, I'll give it a try. It's easy to think of dogs in human terms, but obviously they are quite different. Thanks for all your help. I do give her a frozen Kong with some PB, I assume she's got enough saliva where she doesn't need water to get it out of her teeth. As for the whining, I think it only goes on for a few minutes. My neighbors said they didn't hear anything today. She does the same thing when I go in the bathroom and close the door, but gives up when she realizes her whimpers aren't going to make me magically reappear. actionjackson fucked around with this message at 03:39 on Aug 30, 2011 |
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Aug 30, 2011 03:34
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RazorBunny posted:You can leave her in the crate without food or water for a few hours and it won't hurt her. If she doesn't finish her food in the morning, take it up and give it back to her at her next mealtime. Just to clarify, if she doesn't eat in the morning, should I give her her regular amount at dinner or double to make up for the missed meal?
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Aug 30, 2011 13:46
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RazorBunny posted:Agreed. I don't think she'll miss very many meals before she gets the idea of eating while the food is there. Okay thanks. She didn't eat this morning - I gave her more time than I should, as I put it out before showering and left it while eating breakfast. I think next time I'll put it out only when I'm eating. She also coughed up some yucky stuff onto the carpet - didn't really look like vomit, it was mostly clear (like saliva) and somewhat whitish. She seemed fine after that, but perhaps it's just a result of the new food. Anything I should be concerned about immediately? She'll be going to the vet next week anyway.
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Aug 30, 2011 17:14
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MoCookies posted:That's just stomach goo from an empty stomach. It's like the doggy equivalent of dry heaving, I guess. Usually somewhat frothy, and white to yellowish in color. No big deal unless it's happening often or if there's something else going on health-wise. Dogs will hork it up if their stomachs are upset, which sometimes includes just being empty. Well this morning I put the food out and then took a shower, but when I got out she was doing the same thing as when I went in, just chilling on the carpet. I went to eat my breakfast in the living room and she walked around a bit, then sat down again. I probably should wait until I get out of the shower to put her food down as another poster suggested. The food was out for probably 20-25 minutes. I then put her in her crate and she started going after the peanut butter Kong. As for the bowl, it's raised but only about six inches (it's a regular bowl on top of a plastic container). She doesn't have any trouble with that as far as I can tell when she does eat (or drinks water). She's only three and a half so flexing isn't an issue for her. Would you suggest raising it higher anyway? Oh, and I took her out for the bathroom before hand, right after I got up. She did both yesterday morning and #2 today. actionjackson fucked around with this message at 15:23 on Aug 31, 2011 |
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Aug 31, 2011 15:20
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MoCookies posted:That sounds really frustrating to troubleshoot, but maybe there's nothing wrong at all. It's quite possible she's just not all that hungry in the mornings, and what she eats in the evenings (plus the PB kong) is enough for her. My mother-in-law's greyhound isn't an enthusiastic eater either, and minus a little muscle, still looks like she's around her track weight. She seemed to do best when my MIL was just free feeding, but all the other dogs got so loving fat, they had to go back to scheduled meals. I might raise the bowls a bit more to ~12 inches just because, though. I've been working half days the first three days this week just to help the adjustment a bit, and I go back to my normal schedule tomorrow. I did break down a bit and give her about 3/4 cup of BB just now because she seemed awfully hungry, though I obviously won't be home to do that at 1 PM tomorrow (I get back around 4:15). There haven't been any issues with the neighbors though in terms of her being too loud during the day, so that's good. Tomorrow morning could I try leading her to a bit of peanut butter and putting it in with the food? She'll always go for that.
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Aug 31, 2011 19:01
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Abby update: I got her to eat this morning! I put a bit of peanut butter with her food, and hand fed her a few pieces to let he know I added it in. After that she ate about a cup or so! I'll have to keep doing this for a little while. She can't resist the PB. This is her first day being alone for the whole workday. I'm a bit nervous - I decided to leave the cable channel with constant classical music on. Good idea? Can't hurt I suppose. I don't want to put on Animal Planet since it has lots of ads, and if there's a show about small yappy dogs or cats she might get upset instead of being relaxed!
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Sep 1, 2011 19:53
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I got some Blue Buffalo Banana/Yogurt treats from the salon where I had her nails clipped. They were on sale because they expired in February, but the owner said they'd be fine if we went through them fast. Cue this morning and Abby has diarrhea! Guess I'll have to give them away or something. Trying to clean diarrhea of the end of someone's driveway is somewhat futile. My question is why would something like this cause diarrhea, especially when it has yogurt? Also any quick remedies to return her to regularity besides stopping the treats? I don't have any plain yogurt available right now.
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Sep 2, 2011 14:28
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HelloSailorSign posted:Because it is 7 months expired? Either they processed it so bacteria wouldn't grow (and thus the active cultures of yogurt would have been destroyed removing the probiotic effects, and therefore you're giving dairy) or they didn't overprocess it so that the bacteria wouldn't be killed off, and thus a contaminant took over and populated through the 7 month expiration time. Should I be upset they were selling this? Seems like they could've mentioned it could cause diarrhea due to expiration, if that's indeed what the cause was.
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Sep 3, 2011 13:53
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RheaConfused posted:Um, you bought it knowing it was expired. That's your fault not theirs. The diarrhea could possibly be from eating something new too..,but probably isnt. I'm just asking if there's any serious risk from expired treats to an animal, or if diarrhea is really the worst it can get.
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Sep 5, 2011 02:31
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Insignificunt posted:I am having a really difficult time finding housing that will allow my vicious baby eating beast doberman. Anyone have any tips or advice to market my mutt enough to get a decent place to rent? Have you tried a site like http://www.peoplewithpets.com/ They even have a doberman picture on their main page. Unfortunately that's one of the most commonly blacklisted breeds.
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Sep 6, 2011 17:14
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| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 11:25 |
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Should I be worried that my new greyhound completely destroyed her bed when I put it in her crate? She loves to sleep on it at night, but I guess she has so much anxiety that she ripped it to shreds. She tore up one of the blankets too. I'm not sure what to even put in there that she won't tear apart. I was very frustrated. Obviously I didn't take it out on her but I just needed a break. That's hard when you have a velcro dog.
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Sep 7, 2011 22:12
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