doggies! Best breeds, expenses, and rewards of having them

VeganInTraining

Hey all!
My hubby and I REALLY want to get a dog! he used to work at the SPCA so he knows how to train them and all that, but I think we'd like a young dog rather than a puppy mostly because we don't own the house so it would be good to have one that is already house broken.
Which breeds would you all recommend? how much do you dog owners spend a month on your dog? how much a year on vet bills and what not? Currently my husband and I work opposing shifts which means there's ALWAYS someone home which is a good thing.
We definitely plan to adopt from the local shelter (I don't believe in paying for a purebread when there are so many homeless dogs). Also, PLEASE no talking smack on Pittbulls. I know all the arguments against them, and I also know they are extremely loyal and when treated well also treat you well. I don't believe that any breed is intrensically bad or good, it's all in how you treat the dog. They types of information I'm looking for is what type of dogs are good runners, which ones (like mini pins) are excape artists and you can't let them out in your yard cause they will climb the fence and things like that.
Thanks!

Ready4Changes

I have two shih Tzu. I love them. They don't have a doggie smell and DO NOT shed. They are the best in my opinion

lor007

I had a baby instead.

rbryntes

Beagles are definitely espace artists - my mother breeds and shows them.

And I LOVE pitbulls.

purpletrillium

I have 3 English setters, but they need a good sized yard. They are super friendly, don't jump, but they're not too smart. They're not all big, there's a small version (30 lbs max) called a pocket setter. Not much hair, don't shed, and love to curl up on laps. If there's a certain breed you are interested in, check online for rescue groups. Two of mine are from a rescue group.

Hippititimus

Any spaniel but particularly a Springer

or try a Sprocker, springer cocker cross, they totally rock for losing weight, they will go anywhere with ya

VeganInTraining

I had a baby instead.

we've been trying to do that, but it's taking longer than expected lol

KMSForLife

We have a chocolate lab. She is the BEST dog I have ever owned. She is a little hyper put she's only a year old so I know she will settle down. When we are not home, she is kept in an outdoor kennel (a large one). She does dig but hasn't gotten out, so I don't classify her as much of a digger. She is great with the children and she is very smart - trained very easy.

I worry about dogs that come from the shelters - not knowing exactly what they may be. I have gotten two dogs from a shelter and both have been terrible with my children - had to find them new homes.

We don't spend much on vet bills - had all the normal puppy stuff done when we got her and now its just a yearly checkup. We do spend money on flea/tick collars and heartworm medication. We buy it online - much cheaper than getting the medicine from the vet. Online they still require a written prescription be sent to them, so I am comfortable with what we are getting.

Olive101109

IMO... West Highland White Terriers are sooo cute! I have one, and she sheds (but they actually have hair, so it's non-allergenic hair). I have allergies to dogs, but we can keep my Westie inside and I don't sneeze at all! She will get scraggly if we don't groom her regularly, though, but a good brushing will take care of that until we can pay for the groomers! She wants CONSTANT attention and may bark if she doesn't get it. But, all in all, if you want someone to cuddle with, play with, just be there for you, etc., Westies are the way to go!! Good luck!

Xaspar

I have a St. Bernard/Boxer mix. One drawback is his tail. It was not docked (I didn't own him first, but wouldn't have done it anyway) and it is a WHIP! Can't keep anything on the coffee table unless being knocked to the floor by a wagging appendage won't hurt it much.
Also, Boxers are notorious for separation anxiety and my dog inherited this for sure. I have an invisible fence so I let him outside when I am not home. Otherwise, he would tear the door down trying to get out to where he last saw me. If he sees me driving away, he settles nicely and lies on the porch until I come home.
Good to take for a run and he even runs alongside the bicycle as long as I am not moving too quickly for him. He trained well to the treadmill too and on days when he is feeling more frisky and we are unable to take him out for exercise, he will happily trot along on the treadmill at about 2 mph for a few miles.
Also, I think because he is mixed breed, he doesn't drool like either of his parents' breeds generally do.
As far as cost, he is fairly easy keeper. Annual check-ups and shots run about 200 per year and food is 2 cups per day of Iams Large breed ($40.00 per 40 pounds).

dlangenfeld

My husband and I have had two Boxers. They are so great! All they want in the world is to be with people. They love ALL dogs, ALL people, everyone. Even when accidentally left outside by themselves, they sit on the front step waiting to be let in. Ours would never run away. They are also amazing with my kids. They have a lot of energy, but it's not out of control. The Boxer we have now runs with me a couple times a week. He can go up to about 5 miles I think before he gets too tired...unless it's too hot, then he's a wimp. lol Another good trait...they rarely bark, only when it's necessary.

Oh and we don't spend much on vet bills. $100-150 a year on vaccines, and roughly $50-100 on flea & tick & heartworm meds. Probably about $40 a month on food. And we don't spend anything on treats...his favorite treat are ice cubes!! :-)

Fit4_Life

I'm not really keen on small dogs. They're cute, but not for me. I had a lab for many years, rest is soul (7-31-2011). I adopted him when he was 3-4 yrs old. I took him everywhere! They are great runners and companions. People shouldn't bash other breeds, its how the owners train their dogs to be. Good luck with your pet.

VeganInTraining

I have 3 English setters, but they need a good sized yard. They are super friendly, don't jump, but they're not too smart. They're not all big, there's a small version (30 lbs max) called a pocket setter. Not much hair, don't shed, and love to curl up on laps. If there's a certain breed you are interested in, check online for rescue groups. Two of mine are from a rescue group.

The Phila shelter has a ton of pittbulls and both of us love pitts, but I like to get info about all dogs (mostly cause we're gonna be moving in a year or two and most rentals wont take pitts.) There's another shelter near us that has a lab/retriever/shepherd mix, gonna be huge but that would be one freaking loyal dog!

macpatti

I paid $1800 for a havanese a couple of years ago. Great breed (hypo allergenic, non-shedding), but they are velcro dogs. He had serious separation anxiety and would make himself sick when we weren't home. Grooming is pricey and they recommend expensive dog food. He was very easy to train and so loving and great with kids, though. I would only recommend the havanese if you are home most of the day.

We now have a shih-poo (shih tzu/poodle). She cost us $250. She's only 7 lbs, so she doesn't eat much. Food probably only costs us $40 a month. Grooming is about $50 every other month. She's low energy, low maintenance and is fine being home alone.

Good luck finding the right one for you! Let us know what you decide on.

limismith

We have a shelter dog and she is amazing - a aussie shephard/doberman pincher mix. Very pretty, and at 45lbs she is the perfect size for us!

I go through one large 15lb bag of dog food per month along with a can or 2 of Alpo a week, and lots and lots of chewy bones and treats and toys. Our dog loves to chew and hide treats, so even when we are eating Ramen we make sure she has everything she needs to be entertained and happy. All and all her food/treats/toys run about $50 a month.

Her vet stuff is more irregular. The shelter we used had a $150 adoption fee but they had done all of her vaccinations and spayed her. We spent another $30 purchasing her leash and tags at the shelter (proceeds went right back to the facility), so it ended up being around what we would have spent for vaccinations anyway. We spend another $50 or so every 3 months on her Frontline and heartworm preventative medicines.

Phew... that was a lot of information. Luckily if your hubs worked for a shelter type organization, you should know a little about the shelters in your area. Picking a good adoption site is really importatant, because you can spend a lot of money treating worms, mites, and other illnesses that your "healthy and adoptable" pooch comes home from the shelter with. We drove an hour away to a nice facility and got a healthy dog, which saves us in the long run.

Good luck finding your new best friend. Remember - chew toys. And use coupons!

lisaisso

Beagles are definitely espace artists - my mother breeds and shows them.

And I LOVE pitbulls.

i love pits too

melaniecheeks

I have a 4 year old Weimaraner called MAx. He's as active as you like - will walk or run all day long (bred for hunting in forests, Weims were). But he's as daft as a brush - goes mad when he sees a bicycle, and is terrible at walking on a lead. I've jsut started jogging with him, as he prefers to trot along at that speed.

And then my latest addition is a cocker spaniel pup called Minerva (Mini for short). She's only 9 weeks, but already is showing signs of being really intelligent.

jlc1243

My advice is to visit and play with a lot of dogs at the shelter and then go home to research and think about the good and maybe bad qualities of each one you are interested in before deciding. They can all be so cute you'll want to take them home with you right then and there. But it's a decision you should sleep on. I adopted a lab mix about 6 months ago and she's great, although she is having knee problems and has had surgery on one leg already, so my vet bills are much higher than normal. My advice here is to spring for pet insurance that will only run you about +/-30 bucks/month but is worht it for the unexpected.

We don't spend much on food a month, I'd say about $20-30. The toys and other accessories are where you can spend a lot, but its up to you how much you want to spoil him/her!

We picked the lab because they are energetic and love to be active, yet are loyal and will also want to snuggle up with you. I had a golden retreiver growing up and she was the same way.

thetiwi1890

Edit: Nevermind, just saw you're getting one from a shelter! Advise: visit there and have a look around!

lisaisso

oh- and any rescue dog is the GREATEST

merrillfoster

I love my corgi. He's 12 and still full of energy. Great with kids (though a barker, which is either just a corgi thing or our fault for spoiling him). Incredibly smart, too (maybe a little too smart, lol). He used to be an escape artist but has calmed down since we had him fixed a couple years ago (I know, I know, I wanted to do it earlier, but my dad thought it would be tramatic for him...siiiighhh...). If you did this right away (or it's already done) I would imagine that the 'wanderlust' would drastically decrease.