In search of Dog

[linaw]

Hi I've been searching for a dog I have relapsing MS for 4 years now single parent of 3 this will be our first dog owned it can be over 30 pds. it has to be a small dog. Thanks!

[Pharm Girl]

I'd recommend a cocker spaniel - we have had 3 since I was little and they were always well behaved & affectionate, and of course, super cute!

[CasinoKathy]

I'd have to agree with Pharm Girl, cocker spaniels are adorable!!

Of course I'm in love with Golden Retreivers, have had 2 of them. It's been almost a year since we had to put our last one to sleep But they would be way over 30 lbs.

Good luck in your search and hope you find a cutie!!

[Redwings]

Purebred dogs are great, but so are mixed breeds. Right now there is an abundance of all kinds of dogs available, since many have lost their homes due to the economy. And since this will be your first dog, consider an older dog (puppies are a LOT of work) that has already been in a home, is housebroken and has learned some house manners.

Look into rescue groups in your area. Many rescue groups have their dogs in foster homes, where the foster families get to know the dogs really well. That allows the groups to best match a dog' personality and temperament to the prospective adopters, which greatly eases the transition into the new home and increases the chances for a successful adoption. I got both of my Golden Retrievers from a rescue, and both of them were really great dogs that fit perfectly into our lifestyle.

And also because this will be your first dog, I can't recommend highly enough that you read a couple of Cesar Millan's (the Dog Whisperer) books even before you adopt. His advice will help you to pick an appropriate dog and get off to the right start as a calm, assertive pack leader.

[KoKo]

Welcome Linaw

How nice to be searching for your first family dog!

I like what Redwings said about Caesar the Dog Whisperer. Great idea to get his book. (I think there might be videos too?) I've seen his show on TV - truly amazing to me how he handles the dogs

Good luck to you, and let us know what your choice is.

Take care,
KoKo

[cosake]

Good luck with your search. I would also encourage you to look at a rescue or humane society for your new furry family member. I would also highly recommend a "mixed breed". All of our dogs have been mixed breeds and they are wonderful. We have found that in general, when compared to friends' dogs who are purebreds, our mixed breeds have had far fewer medical issues. That of course is our own personal experience. We currently have a mixed breed short-hair "carolina" mix who is a petite 21 lbs., in addition to our brindle shepherd-bull terrier mix who is 78 lbs. They are a huge part of our family and a big comfort to have around.

[smcb95]

I have 2 pure bred boston terriers and one bug (half pug - half boston terrier). The standard is up to about 25 lbs. I saw an 11 year old that must have been only 12 lbs. Too cute! They are great dogs in my personal opinion.

[cosake]

smcb95 -- your "bug" sounds great ! I've never heard of that type of mix before.

[smcb95]

cosake - he was actually an oops. My female boston terrier and him have the same father. My neighbor has one from the first litter of bugs that the breeder had - and she is cute as a button. Contacted the breeder and put a deposit on the bug. Went to see him - fell in love with the female boston terrier (who happens to be red and white) - and the rest is history. The bug is my little clown - and just full of energy.

[tommylee]

Purebred dogs are great, but so are mixed breeds. Right now there is an abundance of all kinds of dogs available, since many have lost their homes due to the economy. And since this will be your first dog, consider an older dog (puppies are a LOT of work) that has already been in a home, is housebroken and has learned some house manner.

That is Great advise!

We have had many dogs over the years.(we always have 2)

When our german shepard died we replaced her with a rescue dog from a shelter. (some type of boxer mutt)
He is the best dog we have ever had. Smart, well trained, fully grown,(no surprises).

We were actually there to see a different dog but when we met "Jeb" we knew we had a match!

Going to the rescue shelter is really fun!
It's sort of like dating accept everybody you meet is wild about you!
Get one dog out, play with it for a while, put it back if not thrilled and get another one out to play.
When you find one that suits you, it's yours!

The best thing is, No chewed up furniture,or shoes. No accidents in the house, no wondering about how big he is going to become... no puppy pains.

We may never get a puppy again? A pretrained grown dog is so much easier.

Be very careful when looking at puppies. Those cute puppy eyes can hide a lot of terror.

[takemeoutwest]

Wasn’t ever an animal lover

Well, until now. We have a purebred Border Collie named Koda. He is amazing! He is so loving and he loves to keep everything in our yard, on the street in front of our house and in all the neighbors yards in ORDER! He has one brown eye and one light blue eye. He is a great dog and I wouldn’t have ever thought I would be so crazy about him. I love to watch him keep the chickens in ORDER and we like to play softball with him. He will get the ball before you if you don’t run! He is in charge at all times!!!!

Hope you find a good dog! We love our dog.

Holli

[JudySz]

I am a big fan of Petfinder.com......You can put in size, sex, etc. I got one of my dogs by a fluke encounter with kennel owner who knew of owner who no longer wanted a dog, the other from Petfinder. Dd got hers through Petfinder also.

Good luck. There are many sites that you put in stuff about you and it tells you a good breed, but my second dog is a Pekeeneese and they are supposed to be not so nice and she is a sweetheart. I guess it depends on how you raise them.

I also got mine as older dogs since puppies are so much work.

Good luck, oh and I have a bichon frise and the Pekingese.

Love them both. Dd's id a 5 lb Pomeranian and something else mix. I would not go that small with little kids. My grandkids are not very gentle with the little guy.

JudySz

[PilotGirl]

try a rescue group

Hi Linaw,

Like some of the other posters, I would highly recommend searching for a rescue group in your area that is recommended by friends or very organized.

I have adopted several dogs from rescue groups and the advantage to the adopter is that the dogs are almost always in a foster home, so you know much more about them.
I would find a group that is willing to listen to your needs/requirements for having a dog. Size, grooming needs, training needs, health needs and daily exercise are all things to consider.

For example, my latest dog is a big black mutt. I knew I wanted a big black mutt because I have another one who needs a buddy to pal around with, but I needed to find one that got along well with cats. (I have a 17 year old cat who rules the household) By adopting from a rescue group who had raised my dog in a foster home for 4 months, I knew that she was housebroken, slept in a crate every night, got along with other cats and dogs, etc.
I also knew that she was a tad rambunctious and liked to counter surf when you are not looking. This was no big deal for us as we do not have small children and I don't have balance issues. We just put everything away in the kitchen.

It was such an easy transition for everyone. I hope you find a furry friend for your household. They bring such joy to my family.

Best of Luck,

Michele

[fishead]

read suggestions about cocker spaniels, and first thing that came to mind was, every cocker spaniel I have ever seen, pees when they get excited. Just something to think about (another chore/waste of energy--cleaning up after them).
They are cute though.

[karriew]

Well, until now. We have a purebred Border Collie named Koda. He is amazing! charge at all times!!!!

Hope you find a good dog! We love our dog.

Holli

I also have a Border Collie, and adore the breed. My dog is still a puppy, but I'm working with him to learn some helpful skills around the house. Some very small females might come in around 30 pounds. Australian Sheps are also great and tend to be a bit smaller. My BC is quite large for breed. He'll probably top out at 65-70lbs.