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I'm looking at different breeds of dogs to get, I grew up/have lived with German Shepherds/Pit Bulls, but me and my wife have decided against one since a lot of areas have restrictions on owning them, and also because we're having a baby in the near future. I want a dog that is good at long distance running (my hobby) and good with kids. So far I've been looking at Belgian Shepherds and Australian Cattle Dogs, and to a lesser extent, German Shorthaired Pointers. Anyone have any experience with these breeds or suggestions for other breeds that fit my criteria? My wife has a pretty extensive history with pet care both professionally and recreationally , and also a cat, but her cats a lazy old retard rear end in a top hat who will probably die in the next 3-5 years, so I'm not really worried about that.
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Mar 17, 2015 15:22
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| # ? Apr 26, 2024 19:13 |
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suicide bi cop posted:So far I've been looking at Belgian Shepherds and Australian Cattle Dogs, and to a lesser extent, German Shorthaired Pointers. Those are awesome breeds (though I don't personally care for GSPs), but they're, like, at the highest of the high end of energy when it comes to dogs. I would worry that you'd get in over your head. Belgian shepherds can vary a fair amount, but certain types (like Malinois) are still being bred very close to their working roots and are not well suited to be pets. I don't think any of these breeds are renowned for their "good with kids"ness, but I think you could probably make do with some know-how and management. The standard stock PI answer is "get a shelter mutt". It's very possible to find an adult dog that's well suited to you and your wife that is already mature. That way you know what the dog's temperament is going to be, and if it's physically mature you'll be able to take it running with you right off the bat (though work up the dog's endurance carefully). It's not recommended that you do much real, strenuous or repetitive physical activity with medium/large dogs until they're 18-24 months old. There is a herding breed megathread that might answer some of your questions here: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3549123 There's also a GSD megathread that also touches on Malinois, etc here: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3521874
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Mar 17, 2015 15:36
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Honestly, a lab or lab mix seems like it'd check all the boxes.
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Mar 17, 2015 16:00
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I've not met many Labs that are well suited for long distance running. They may be okay once properly conditioned, but I've heard people remark about their ill-suitedness before. Mixed with something leaner and more lithe, it may work well. That reminds me, OP, look for a dog that is sound and balanced. A dog with good structure will obviously have an easier time running long distances than one with poor structure. You want a dog to look balanced when it moves, trot smoothly & comfortably and move freely.
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Mar 17, 2015 16:18
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Please do not get a Belgian Shepherd. They are absolutely not first time dogs, have a tendency to be extremely bitey (even when trained well) and they are not good with kids. Unless you're an experienced dog owner who needs a serious sport or working dog, you don't need a Belgian. Honestly Belgians are like methed out German Shepherds so I don't know why you'd think they'd be more appropriate around a baby than a GSD 
Triangulum fucked around with this message at 16:26 on Mar 17, 2015 |
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Mar 17, 2015 16:24
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When you say long distance, how long are you talking?
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Mar 17, 2015 16:43
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Another thing to consider is that if you get a puppy of one of these (or any!) breed, it won't be ready to do any sort of structured running with you until about ~18 months old when the growth plates close. More reason to look into adopting--if you can find a rescue that'll let you adopt with an incoming child and/or infant.
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Mar 17, 2015 16:45
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I'm going to suggest you look at a border terrier. Great family dogs. They were bred to run with the hunt all day so are perfect for you if you're a long distance/endurance runner. YET they'll also be content to have a lazy day at home as well so if you're tied up with kid stuff you're not going to have your house torn apart by a frustrated animal who isn't getting hard exercise every day. Very patient dogs too with a high pain threshold meaning they don't get hosed off with kids mucking about with them easily. I am bias tho, I own two of the little fuckers.
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Mar 17, 2015 16:55
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I'd recommend having your babies first. You and your wife are going to be sleep deprived and giving most if not all of your waking attention on your little one and life will be absolutely crazy, at least for the first few years. I'd recommend waiting until you can hear your beloved child whine "I want a doggy" over and over again. They won't be able to care for the dog, of course, but at least they'll be able to appreciate one more. Maybe you'd be the exception to the rule, but I personally know too many first hand stories of dog people having babies and then basically ignoring their dog (other than their basic survival needs) until their child is older and wishing they hadn't gotten a dog first. The process of having a child is also a roller-coaster of emotions and changes, so if you do get a dog, hopefully it's one that readily adapts to change. First random story off google: http://www.slate.com/articles/life/family/2013/07/kids_and_dogs_if_you_re_having_a_baby_do_not_get_a_puppy.html I'm sure a dog first works for the rare family; and you may totally be that family. Hopefully you have a large network of family in the area to help you with both the kids and the dog. I just know too many sad stories. Good luck OP with whatever choice you make!
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Mar 17, 2015 17:15
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A) Don't get a dog for your kid to grow up with. Wait until they are 5-6 years old and understand being gentle and caring with a dog. B) None of the breeds you listed are generally suitable to have around kids. Nervy, bittey, and highly energetic big dogs are too much for a child. If you must get a dog right now, get a smaller dog. They can be fun and will be happy to run with you too. You also need to realize that you are not supposed to do running or high impact exercise for long distances with a dog under 6 mos- 1 year old. I own a cattledog and he's a lazy gently caress, but 90% of them are going to be GO GO GO HERD CHILD RUN FAST C) Get a smaller dog. Maybe a schipperke (from a breeder who isn't retarded and like has socialized the dogs) or something in the 10-20lbs range. Pretty much any dog that isn't brachiocephalic will be pleased to run 2+ miles with you.
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Mar 17, 2015 17:20
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Basset Although I'm not sure if they'll be able to keep pace, they have endurance.
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Mar 17, 2015 17:28
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I'm thrown by the distance running bit. Shorter dogs are not well equipped for it. Honestly, if you're out running marathons every weekend, I doubt my dog could keep up. And she's pretty fit. What else are you looking for in a dog? What sort of climate do you live in? What sort of grooming are you wanting to do?
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Mar 17, 2015 17:32
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I have two ACDs and fairly frequently they do stuff that make me say "I'm so glad I don't have kids". ACDs are really cool dogs, but they're very high energy and they bite (not aggressive bites, but they have a tendency to gnaw on you while playing or when they want attention). The energy can be managed but I would NOT EVER have a dog that bites with kids. Even if your kid is cool with being gnawed on when it's older if they have a friend over for a play date and the friend gets a bite you've gotten a one way ticket to lawsuit city and your dog probably needing to be put down.
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Mar 17, 2015 18:14
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I would highly advise against getting any kind of mid to high energy dog with a baby on the way. I work with dogs and constantly see owners leave their dogs behind when babies come into the picture. Just a couple of weeks ago we had a client call up to rehome her pug x cavaliers through us as they were too much effort with the baby. I mean, I cannot think of many mixes that are lazier, there is no way in hell I would recommend a working breed puppy to anyone having a child. My terrier mix used to run countless laps of the local oval with me when I was anorexic and over exercising, but dogs can be pretty annoying to run with if they're not trained well. There's a local woman with a staffy that struggles to run with him every day as I wait for the tram to work. I also used to live near a guy that owned a beagle that would constantly try and pull him off his bike. If I go for a run now, I'll leave the dogs at home 
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Mar 17, 2015 19:48
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I've owned a pure bred lab and it seems like it would be great for you. However labs are super high energy when they're young and only mellow around 4-5 years old. My yellow lab would run all day if he could and they are great around kids, babies, old people, whatever. For running I might look at a grayhound but I don't know much about the breed.
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Mar 17, 2015 22:47
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jlechem posted:I've owned a pure bred lab and it seems like it would be great for you. However labs are super high energy when they're young and only mellow around 4-5 years old. My yellow lab would run all day if he could and they are great around kids, babies, old people, whatever. For running I might look at a grayhound but I don't know much about the breed. Greyhounds are sprinters. They can happily live on a couch between 15-30 minute bursts of activity several times a day. They can also be a little nervy around kids and small animals. Go to animal shelters or rescues, explain your situation, and they will hopefully steer you right. Rescues generally want you to have a fenced yard.
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Mar 17, 2015 23:14
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Panzer Attack posted:My terrier mix used to run countless laps of the local oval with me when I was anorexic and over exercising, but dogs can be pretty annoying to run with if they're not trained well. There's a local woman with a staffy that struggles to run with him every day as I wait for the tram to work. I also used to live near a guy that owned a beagle that would constantly try and pull him off his bike. If I go for a run now, I'll leave the dogs at home I thought I'd take my younger super extra high energy dog with me when I decided to do C25K to burn off some of his extra energy. That lasted all of two days. Traveling in a straight line for more than 5 feet or so is not one of his strong points.
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Mar 18, 2015 02:04
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GSPs are pretty good family dogs and great for runners. They're very high energy, but in a different way from the other two breeds, and I think would be more suitable. Nthing don't get a puppy unless the kids are several years away.
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Mar 18, 2015 14:44
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you should totally get a hungarian vizsla 
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Mar 18, 2015 15:00
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For long distance running I would look at a Ridgeback since that is sort of their thing. My cousin has one and it is a good dogge tm but has a ton of energy.
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Mar 18, 2015 16:44
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Ridgebacks own but they have a tendency to be quite aggressive, probably not a great choice for inexperienced dog owners with a baby on the way. Some sort of bird dog (after the baby is born) seems like it'd be the best choice
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Mar 18, 2015 17:47
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Triangulum posted:Ridgebacks own but they have a tendency to be quite aggressive, probably not a great choice for inexperienced dog owners with a baby on the way. I will take your word for it, the only one I have ever known is my cousins who was socialised correctly for exactly the reason you state. When they got him as a puppy she had 3 kids all under 7 at the time. Not saying that you are wrong, you are most likely completely correct but just throwing in my experience. Also the thieving little arse would steal my sausages when I went over for a BBQ and of course no chance of catching him. Bonus pic of Rosco sleeping with the youngest daughter a few weeks back 
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Mar 18, 2015 18:14
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Are you sure that's a rhodesian ridgeback? That really doesn't look anything like one aside from being vaguely mastiffy Triangulum fucked around with this message at 19:08 on Mar 18, 2015 |
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Mar 18, 2015 19:05
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Triangulum posted:Are you sure that's a rhodesian ridgeback? That really doesn't look anything like one aside from being vaguely mastiffy I was thinking he was posting a pic of his own dog. Rhodesians don't even come in brindle, do they?
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Mar 18, 2015 20:11
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they do but its a disqualifying fault so you dont find many responsible breeders breeding them http://kalaharirr.tripod.com/oddcolors.html
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Mar 18, 2015 20:14
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BigPaddy posted:I will take your word for it, the only one I have ever known is my cousins who was socialised correctly for exactly the reason you state. When they got him as a puppy she had 3 kids all under 7 at the time. Not saying that you are wrong, you are most likely completely correct but just throwing in my experience. Also the thieving little arse would steal my sausages when I went over for a BBQ and of course no chance of catching him. You can't socialize out genetic traits duder
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Mar 18, 2015 21:51
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~it's all in how you raise them~
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Mar 18, 2015 21:55
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Superconsndar posted:You can't socialize out genetic traits duder Good point. My DSDs have been well socialized and we have kids at home ranging from 4 to 12, but that doesn't stop the dogs from herding the gently caress out of them.
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Mar 18, 2015 22:01
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When I talk about long distance, I mean anywhere from 3 miles to 10 miles. I understand dogs can't go on long runs for the first 18 months or so, and that's fine with me. Regarding my future baby, is it as big of a deal as you guys are making it out to be? Me and my wife have both had dogs in the past, and she has worked on farms / as a pet care manager taking care of various animals, so she has quite a bit of experience when it comes to dogs, I was thinking getting the dog as a puppy a little while after the baby is born (basically after the whole newborn/infant phase) would be a good thing, as the dog and the baby would both get acclimated to each other while they're young. A good friend of mine has a year old Great Dane who's awesome with our other friends baby since shes was ~6 months old, not sure if that's a fringe case or what.
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Mar 19, 2015 01:15
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suicide bi cop posted:When I talk about long distance, I mean anywhere from 3 miles to 10 miles. I understand dogs can't go on long runs for the first 18 months or so, and that's fine with me. I have six kids. Please trust me when I tell you that you do not want to be bringing home a puppy anytime before your kid is 3 or maybe 4, especially if you are talking about an active breed. Kids are hard enough work without adding a puppy to the mix. IMO, it's not fair to the kid, and it's not fair to the dog.
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Mar 19, 2015 01:27
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suicide bi cop posted:I was thinking getting the dog as a puppy a little while after the baby is born (basically after the whole newborn/infant phase) would be a good thing, as the dog and the baby would both get acclimated to each other while they're young. aaahahahahahahahaha please do this with a malinois or acd and report back when it bites the christ out of your baby
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Mar 19, 2015 01:56
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You could not pay me enough money to have a high energy breed puppy and a baby at the same time. Do not get a Belgian, do not get a cattledog, do not get a puppy (until your kid is older). It's hard enough losing all that sleep with a baby, but to add losing sleep to properly housetrain a puppy on top of that is asking to test your sanity. Belgians especially are easily hosed up in the hands of your average dog owner who's also stressed the gently caress out with having a new baby, and we get cattledogs turned in to the shelter I work at ALL the time for being bitey little shits. So, not the best kid-friendly breed.
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Mar 19, 2015 02:05
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suicide bi cop posted:When I talk about long distance, I mean anywhere from 3 miles to 10 miles. I understand dogs can't go on long runs for the first 18 months or so, and that's fine with me. do not get a dog while you have a new baby for fucks sake. it is utterly stupid. wait until the kid is at least 5.
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Mar 19, 2015 02:07
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or 18 and out of the house.
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Mar 19, 2015 02:07
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suicide bi cop posted:When I talk about long distance, I mean anywhere from 3 miles to 10 miles. I understand dogs can't go on long runs for the first 18 months or so, and that's fine with me. here is a dog you can run with: a jogging stroller with your baby inside.
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Mar 19, 2015 02:20
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wtftastic posted:here is a dog you can run with: 
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Mar 19, 2015 02:51
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Get a pit they're nanny dogs so can babysit the kid
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Mar 19, 2015 05:46
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dig a pit and throw yourself in it you dense fucker.
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Mar 19, 2015 05:53
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Nthing the jogging stroller because it won't get tired on mile-loving-10.
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Mar 19, 2015 06:30
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| # ? Apr 26, 2024 19:13 |
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thatbastardken posted:you should totally get a hungarian vizsla
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Mar 19, 2015 07:15
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