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Get an older lab or hound mutt or something from a private rescue that actually spends time trying to match people with dogs that fit their life style. You do not need a terrier of any description. You do not need a drivey dog. You need a lump dog that doesn't care about hassling your cat or your kid. Also gently caress off with telling us to calm our tits or whatever, you came here asking for advice, and boy did you ever get it.
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Feb 23, 2015 19:42
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 23:51 |
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Chill a bit PI. He brought the dog back and doesn't need to explain himself to us.
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Feb 23, 2015 19:45
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YMMV the dog I grew up with was a JRT and he didn't give two shits about our cat and was awesome with kids. She was rescued from a mill situation so who knows how much terrier drive she really had? Introducing her to other dogs was a crapshoot.
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Feb 23, 2015 19:46
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Like I said privately, I would really, really hold off on getting another dog so quickly. We can help you come up with a training and management gameplan and help you settle on a breed/mix that will fit. You really, really are not ready to bring a dog home just yet. Good on you for returning her and for coming back. If you'll go into detail about your schedule, setup, and exactly what you want and need in a dog, we can get you going in the right direction.
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Feb 23, 2015 20:00
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PRESIDENT GOKU posted:I brought the pit bull back, calm your slavering rage filled tits every one. A pit bull is a terrier. A wire haired terrier is also a terrier. Stop looking at dogs before you learn what dogs do. Thanks. E: If you're looking around the 40-60 pound range, get something like a golden retriever, an irish setter, a middle aged mutt that's been around kids and responds well to your kid screaming at it and making fast (and usually unpredictable) movements. You want mellow and dumb. A terrier puppy is anything but that. Fluffy Bunnies fucked around with this message at 20:15 on Feb 23, 2015 |
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Feb 23, 2015 20:02
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Don't get a puppy. They are just as much work as a dog with behavior issues, only you have to be PROACTIVE about training them.
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Feb 23, 2015 20:11
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gonna agree with everyone else about not getting a puppy. I actually prefer not to have a dog younger than 5 months- I could handle a puppy, but it's so much unrelenting work that I'd rather work on any issues an older dog might have. and many older dogs in shelters or rescues DON'T have any real issues, they're there because their owners had a move or a lifestyle change.
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Feb 23, 2015 20:14
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Pixelated Dragon posted:Seriously, why did you return the dog to the shelter? Oh poo poo I posted from my phone and I guess it didn't post. Fuckin' T Mobile. No one got bitten, no cats were killed, and to the best of my knowledge my wife isn't gay. That or she's really good at pretending. After a genuine convo with Supercondnsr in PMs I was convinced to take the dog back. After two incidents of serious lunges at our cat, and having the dog growl at my kid getting in his moms lap after a nap, I decided that I was NOT comfortable with the dog being alone and unsupervised for even 2 minutes. Supercondnsr really knows some poo poo. I literally just hung up with the shelter, probably for the last time since they seem like a dishonest lemon lot car salesman for animals who will adopt out without any consideration, and told them to put the terrier back on the shelf. I need to dig, and I mean dig, into what will be a good dog for a family with a cat and 5 year old. Sorry for being a huge dramabomba everyone!
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Feb 23, 2015 20:18
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PRESIDENT GOKU posted:I need to dig, and I mean dig, into what will be a good dog for a family with a cat and 5 year old. Read up, I just gave you some suggestions. A standard poodle might not be a bad thing either, or even a greyhound. There's some that are very cat friendly and chill. If you tell us what size you're looking at, PI is more than happy to give you suggestions. Give us a pounds range dude. Tell us what you want out of it (do you wanna go swimming, do you wanna lay around after work, do you wanna go on hikes every other day?)
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Feb 23, 2015 20:22
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It's okay, this can be a very emotional thing! Nobody got hurt and that's what matters. Sucks that the shelter isn't taking your concerns seriously. Pixelated Dragon fucked around with this message at 20:33 on Feb 23, 2015 |
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Feb 23, 2015 20:24
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Pixelated Dragon posted:It's okay, this can be a very emotional thing! I'm probably not communicating any needs very well. My wife *really* wants a dog, especially now since we had to return the pit bull and that means it's probably going to die now. I hate that. Fluffy Bunnies posted:Read up, I just gave you some suggestions. A standard poodle might not be a bad thing either, or even a greyhound. There's some that are very cat friendly and chill. If you tell us what size you're looking at, PI is more than happy to give you suggestions. Give us a pounds range dude. Tell us what you want out of it (do you wanna go swimming, do you wanna lay around after work, do you wanna go on hikes every other day?) Fluffy Bunnies posted:Read up, I just gave you some suggestions. A standard poodle might not be a bad thing either, or even a greyhound. There's some that are very cat friendly and chill. If you tell us what size you're looking at, PI is more than happy to give you suggestions. Give us a pounds range dude. Tell us what you want out of it (do you wanna go swimming, do you wanna lay around after work, do you wanna go on hikes every other day?) Fluffy Bunnies posted:Read up, I just gave you some suggestions. A standard poodle might not be a bad thing either, or even a greyhound. There's some that are very cat friendly and chill. If you tell us what size you're looking at, PI is more than happy to give you suggestions. Give us a pounds range dude. Tell us what you want out of it (do you wanna go swimming, do you wanna lay around after work, do you wanna go on hikes every other day?) I should treat this like plotting a character build, computer or gun build. Weight: Up to and including 40 pounds. A good midsize dog. Activity level: On a scale of 1 to 3, 3 being a border collie mixed with a jack rabbit hopped up on espresso, probably a 1.25. Something that enjoys brisk walks a few times a day. We don't do any hiking, and theres really gently caress all to do in northern Mississippi as far as cool dog things like you see on TV. No dog parks, no beaches, not much of anything except terribly conditioned roads. I'd think a greyhound needs to run 5 miles a day, and a poodle needs constant diversion to avoid becoming destructive. Temperment: Smart, docile and chill. I'd like a dog that's happy to see me my wife and kid after we come home. A dog that is obviously good with cats and little kids too, as my wife does playdates sometimes. Oh god I can't imagine if that pit bull was still here during one of those. The honest truth is my grandmother had poodles, and she swore up and down they were as smart as people, and standard poodles fur feels 
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Feb 23, 2015 20:30
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IIRC some hounds are child-friendly and lazy. Maybe it's a stereotype? My parents' beagle mix is a lump until she's left alone, then she'll howl and whine for hours on end but they see it as no big deal because they live in the middle of nowhere so nobody hears her.
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Feb 23, 2015 20:30
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Basset's are cool if you can stand the smell.
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Feb 23, 2015 20:31
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Okay so here's the real deal. You are not going to like this even one bit, but I am going to tell you, because otherwise neither you, your family, nor whatever dog you choose will be happy with things. It took me 2 years of research to find a) the dog breed, b) the breeder (or rescue), and c) the puppy that would work the very best for me and my individual situation. I ain't saying this will be the case with you (because I am a massive nerd and I wanted to know EVERYTHING I POSSIBLY COULD about behavior, training, specific breed traits, nutrition, etc), but ideally I would recommend a minimum of 3-4 months of hard research and sitting down with the whole family, being brutally honest about things like "how much exercise and grooming am I willing to do on a daily basis" (don't trust what children say, imo, i said i'd do All The Work at 7 to get our family sheltie and then discovered "hey this is hard work" but my parents understood that a child isn't gonna keep promises all the time). If you know you're (or your wife, let's be honest, my mom did almost all the work with the family dog) not going to be able or willing to do things like 30+ minutes of heart-pumping activity with the dog, 15+ minutes of training work, some brushing, etc Every Single Day, please be honest with yourself about whether or not a dog is even the right choice. So let's start there. What kinds of traits are you looking for? Do you want a dog that can keep itself occupied for most of the day but will switch on when everyone's home? Do you want minimal grooming? Cat safety is obviously a must. How old is your son, and will he get frightened by a larger breed dog jumping up to greet him? What amount of training are you willing to do? Start with these, and really mull them over with your wife. EDIT: this is why i shouldn't effortpost, questions get answered in the meanwhile. ah well i tried *fart*
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Feb 23, 2015 20:35
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Greyhounds do not need.to run 5 miles a day. What you want is a mellow lump - an older lab or a cat tested greyhound would be perfect for you. For the love of all that is holy don't get a loving terrier. And do not get a puppy. You want a middle aged flump.
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Feb 23, 2015 20:35
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Super knows as much as most people here about dogs, which you should get used to. We can give you excellent advice if you're open to it. I recommend many of the resources by Ian Dunbar as a good entry-level point for training and living with a dog. His booklets about "What to do before/After you get your puppy" are full of advice that's going to be helpful for you. Some is aimed at young puppies, but it also covers general things like socialisation, establishing routines, etc. They're available at Dogstardaily.com for free. As others have said, sit down with the whole family and think about what you really want from a dog. If it's "family companion lump" that's totally fine, but that is a niche type of dog. Lots of dogs won't be happy with that. Seek out a rescue which houses dogs with foster carers as they will know how their dogs behave in a home environment. No matter the amount of reading you do, be prepared to go to a training class (reward-based of course) with the dog you adopt. It's a good way to start bonding with the dog, the trainer will demonstrate how to teach commands and give you tips if you're doing it wrong, and it's a fun family activity that everyone including your kid can take part in. If you tell us your general area maybe we can recommend some places to check out, both training-wise and rescue-wise.
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Feb 23, 2015 20:37
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PRESIDENT GOKU posted:Activity level: On a scale of 1 to 3, 3 being a border collie mixed with a jack rabbit hopped up on espresso, probably a 1.25. Something that enjoys brisk walks a few times a day. We don't do any hiking, and theres really gently caress all to do in northern Mississippi as far as cool dog things like you see on TV. No dog parks, no beaches, not much of anything except terribly conditioned roads. I'd think a greyhound needs to run 5 miles a day, and a poodle needs constant diversion to avoid becoming destructive. Greyhounds mostly just lie around 90% of the time so if you take it out on a walk for an hour or so every day and maybe find an enclosed track to let it run around in circles on once a week it'll be happy. It'll totally eat your cat though
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Feb 23, 2015 20:37
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A Wizard of Goatse posted:Greyhounds mostly just lie around 90% of the time so if you take it out on a walk for an hour or so every day and maybe find an enclosed track to let it run around in circles on once a week it'll be happy. Eh if he can find a decent OTT grey rescue most of them do some measure of cat testing because the dogs are in foster before heading out to their adopters, so that isn't a for sure thing.
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Feb 23, 2015 20:42
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PRESIDENT GOKU posted:
In northern Mississippi you're gonna find a lot of cool sweet houndy mixes, which actually might be pretty close to what you're gonna want. Keep in mind that literally any breed you get is going to require a few things: 1. at MINIMUM 30 minutes a day of heart-pounding exercise. The average dog (including toy breeds) has twice the cardiac output potential of an Olympic athlete. That means more than walks, usually playing ball or tug or something like that, but you've got a kid and they're basically energy machines too. Turn 'em both loose into the yard with a ball or frisbee and don't let them back indoors until at least one of them is exhausted. 2. daily mental stimulation, because like you said, dogs that are bored get destructive. For a hound-type, that'll be simple tricks and food toys, thankfully (my corgi requires a whole lot more than that, she is also a screamer when she's bored). A hound would also love food hide-and-seek games, because Dat Nose. Again, make sure everyone's totally on board with making sure your future-dog gets all these things, or you're gonna have mayhem. Well, you might have mayhem anyway bc a child-and-dog team is like a 6-legged wrecking ball, or at least I was when we had Casey. But that's like, half the fun of getting a kid a dog.
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Feb 23, 2015 20:43
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Not all of them. There's lots that just hang out and look at cats and are like "hey what's up". Talk to Razorbunny. She's had two now that she's posted about. Seriously, I bet you guys would love a grey if not for the size (more like 60-80lbs) . However, they make smaller similar breeds. A whippet might be up your alley if your kid is gentle with animals. A middle aged spaniel would probably be your best friend, or a retriever. Look for one that's kid friendly and you guys will be perfectly chill. If you don't wanna deal with a lot of grooming, though, I'm happy to recommend other breeds.
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Feb 23, 2015 20:44
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Proud of u OP, clicktreat
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Feb 23, 2015 20:45
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Superconsndar posted:Proud of u OP, clicktreat Let's not make this weird. I was flattered in your PM but I am not sure what a 'fursona' is or 'yiffing' is. lite_sleepr fucked around with this message at 21:09 on Feb 23, 2015 |
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Feb 23, 2015 20:54
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PRESIDENT GOKU posted:I'm probably not communicating any needs very well. My wife *really* wants a dog, especially now since we had to return the pit bull and that means it's probably going to die now. I hate that. Greyhounds are really chill. Think cheetah: they're bred to run for a couple of minutes at most, the rest of the time they sleep or hang out. When they're of retirement age, most are happy with a 30 min walk per day and a big run once a week will make them joyful but it's not essential. You don't want a smart dog. Smart dogs need to be kept busy or they invent their own jobs. Smart dogs like border collies need to work, whether that's herding sheep or learning to run agility courses. They can work 10 hour days and still be ready to go. The trade off of not having a smart dog is that it'll take longer to teach commands, so you'll have to be patient. Where a border collie might learn what "Sit" means in one or two sessions, it might take a pug four or five sessions. But training is good fun and if you get a dog with a known temperament who's already been living in a home environment with a foster carer, a lot of the groundwork will be there. Look into greyhounds (there are many that are fine with small animals), lab mixes over the age of four, standard poodles over four, small breed mixes of non-terriers like cavaliers, maltese etc, spaniels of non-working breeding. I can't recommend any younger dogs unless "a brisk walk a few times a day" means at least 1-1.5 hours of exercise per day.
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Feb 23, 2015 20:54
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Nthing "get a lab." One that is a little older (5+ years) will get you a dog that has some good energy but not crazy puppy levels. They're generally sweet, even-tempered family dogs and would fit right in with your situation. Plus, by picking not-a-puppy you're helping out a perfectly good dog who might have been more difficult to place, which should make your wife happy to hear. Everybody loves a "nobody else wanted him, can you even imagine?" story. Don't be so hard on the shelter, though. All shelters, and especially kill shelters, are interested in placing as many dogs as possible to avoid euthing, and most will just give you what you ask for without argument, really. They can't even always give you a good idea of a dog's true personality or energy level because you just can't gauge that from a cage or run surrounded by dozens of other barking dogs. Definitely find a private rescue, which house dogs in foster homes with people who will be able to help you find the dog that is right for you and your family. Not all rescues are created equal, so if the first one or two places don't work out with a match, don't be discouraged. A dog is a huge commitment, so do your due diligence and your next dog will be with your family for the rest of his or her life, and be the dog your kid fondly remembers growing up with.
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Feb 23, 2015 20:55
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Serella posted:
I tried telling my wife this. I just told her I'm not getting the puppy and shes livid. I keep flip flopping. Sure thats true, but I'm doing it because a dog is a huge commitment. It isn't fair to the dog that we get it just because it's cute and convenient, then have to get rid of it in a year because it's incompatible with the family.
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Feb 23, 2015 21:06
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Puppies are a huge pain in the rear end. They poo poo everywhere until you convince them not to, chew up all your poo poo until you convince them not to, and take years to mellow out. Older dogs are the poo poo. Edit: Ask her how cute she will think it is when it adds 50x more work to the already overloaded responsibilities of raising a kid.
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Feb 23, 2015 21:10
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PRESIDENT GOKU posted:I tried telling my wife this. I just told her I'm not getting the puppy and shes livid. I keep flip flopping. Sure thats true, but I'm doing it because a dog is a huge commitment. It isn't fair to the dog that we get it just because it's cute and convenient, then have to get rid of it in a year because it's incompatible with the family. Well tell your wife to put her big girl panties on and learn delayed gratification. I want like 4 other dogs, but somehow I have resisted the siren song of cute dogs for the last 3 years. You can do it too.
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Feb 23, 2015 21:10
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Some breeds off the top of my head: Beagle, lab, golden, standard poodle (if you don't mind the coat maintainence), greyhound, maybe some kind of coonhound. Redbone Coonhounds are chill.
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Feb 23, 2015 21:11
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Just a real sweet, dumb, boring as gently caress 40lb yeller dawg. They are good to have.
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Feb 23, 2015 21:13
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My wife is insanely dog sexist. She said she didn't want a boy dog because the house is full of boys: me, our kid, and the cat. I bet she's a horrible cat racist too and hates black cats  Superconsndar posted:Just a real sweet, dumb, boring as gently caress 40lb yeller dawg. They are good to have. But, aren't hounds meant as hunting dogs? Doesn't that mean mega prey drive as they get a scent and chase it up a tree? lite_sleepr fucked around with this message at 21:17 on Feb 23, 2015 |
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Feb 23, 2015 21:14
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PRESIDENT GOKU posted:I tried telling my wife this. I just told her I'm not getting the puppy and shes livid. I keep flip flopping. Sure thats true, but I'm doing it because a dog is a huge commitment. It isn't fair to the dog that we get it just because it's cute and convenient, then have to get rid of it in a year because it's incompatible with the family. Round up all your wife's most prized possessions. Nice shoes, an expensive bag/purse/coat, her favorite scarf, and add in any kind of family heirloom, plus the tv remote. Put it all in a pile, maybe throw some cash on top, on the bed or her favorite piece of furniture/rug. Tell your wife this (maybe more!) is what a puppy will chew to pieces, eat, pee/poop/vomit on, or otherwise destroy. Puppies are terrible, and the only reason they are so goddamn cute is because otherwise we would choke all dogs to death.
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Feb 23, 2015 21:16
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Sounds like your wife needs to Not Be 8 Years Old When Making Big Lifestyle Decisions (maybe link her some good stuff about why you gotta Learn To Dog before you Dog?) Good on you for putting your foot down about impulse adopting one though.
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Feb 23, 2015 21:17
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PRESIDENT GOKU posted:My wife is insanely dog sexist. She said she didn't want a boy dog because the house is full of boys: me, our kid, and the cat. Okay you aren't allowed to get a dog now. Somebody give him the big list of learn about dogs links because that is way too much effort for me when I'm laying in bed dreading making my camera work so I can go film that dumb wrestling toxx.
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Feb 23, 2015 21:19
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Superconsndar posted:(maybe link her some good stuff about why you gotta Learn To Dog before you Dog?) This is a real good idea. One thing I tell clients is that you would not even buy a car without reading up on makes and models, and a dog will probably be with you at least as long as a random hatchback.
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Feb 23, 2015 21:21
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I bet she feels really bad about having to return the other dog and some part of her thinks that adopting another dog is some way to somehow right the wrong even though logically jumping right into another hair-trigger adoption is a bad idea. Hold your ground but try to be understanding. She's being an idiot but consider why she's being an idiot.
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Feb 23, 2015 21:21
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The new dog owner thread exists for that very reason.
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Feb 23, 2015 21:22
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PRESIDENT GOKU posted:But, aren't hounds meant as hunting dogs? Doesn't that mean mega prey drive as they get a scent and chase it up a tree?
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Feb 23, 2015 21:33
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Mr. Wookums posted:shove up your butthole ... or finding a treat. Now we're talkin.
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Feb 23, 2015 21:36
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I'll wade in here as a non-smart dog person. The wife and I decided we wanted a dog. We spent about 6 months looking over various breeds, I read the PI stuff, etc. We decided to work with a local rescue that does extensive testing in foster homes for all of their dogs. We ended up stupidly lucky with our dog, a Swedish Vallhund. She's exactly what we wanted - she has all kind of go when its active time, but the rest of the day she's happy to sleep, cuddle, or get beaten up by our little 4lb cat. About 35 pounds, fairly compact. Now, she does shed like their is no tomorrow. Seriously. So much fur. Regardless of how much/how often we groom her. She trains fairly easily (could be better if I wasn't a lazy fucker), and we've gotten most of her bad habits out (jumping up on people, stealing food, etc.) The only reason we found this dog is because we were honest with the rescue, and let them help us find a dog. I'm not sure where you live, but it may be worth looking into it. A few months of searching might land you an amazing dog. From what you've posted, I'd be looking at either a) retired greyhound (hella-awesome lazy dogs that still like to do stuff if you want) b) older (1 year plus at minimum) lab/retriever/brown dog thing c) Random hound mutt - as has been stated earlier, most of these are pretty lazy. Find one that has been cat tested. Be aware that they will follow their nose anywhere. I mean, there are a million dogs out there. Don't start with a puppy, since most are festering assholes of chaos and calamity and destruction and death. Even getting our dog at a year, she still tore up a few things, made a few messes, etc. her first few months.
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Feb 23, 2015 21:58
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 23:51 |
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op should probably be looking for a dog that's at least two years, since they stay shitheads up until about that age. after that it's like they magically have adult brains instead.
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Feb 23, 2015 22:25
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