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

GorillaNJ

I actually found my dog in a barn when i was hunting... he was tiny and starving... so i took him home. 10 years later he is a 70lb mush that sleeps on my pillows. Best we can tell he is part pointer and part lab or maybe some pit in him. The vet tried to sell me a service for like $100 to find out what he is... I told him I don't care about his parents too much!

He is very athletic and especially when he was younger it made it rough because we had him in an apartment. It was great on nice days when we could go to the park and play frisbee and the such but on rainy days that was a handful.

Zazzabel

I did have a retriever (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling), awesome dogs, very loyal and as long as they have exercise really chilled out and great with kids. They are long haired so they do shed but I'd say you'd be looking at around £250 upwards for a years insurance normally with an excess of around £50. I spent probably £50 every couple of months on food and treats etc and bought new beds and toys etc at dog shows which tend to retail for less than shops.

Now I have a collie x much cheaper on insurance than a pedigree but totally nuts, always on the go and def good for getting you out walking miles - Good Luck whatever the breed you'll know the right one when you see it, a bit like men really

bluegirl10

Hi...

Well the type of dog you decide to get should really depend on your lifestyle and the type of home environment you can give it. I love labs and goldens, but they are full of energy.. So if you are looking for active dogs then go for them, but remember they do take longer to mature than say a small breed dog.

I have had mostly mix breeds, such as german shepherd, cocker spaniel, collie etc but also have had a golden retriever, german spitz and maltese in the past... We currently have a golden retriever, belgian malinois and norwegian elkhound mix... All are great dogs, they are all adopted from the shelter and range from 1-1/2 year to 3 years old.

As for bills, my first golden had a lot of allergies, so monthly bills were high because she needs high quality food, allergy pills and shots, but it was worth it ...anything to make her feel better! As for our three dogs now, none have any health issues, so the monthly expenses are just food, heatworm prevention and flea prevention.

Note... my cocker spaniel mix was a climber, but only did that when she was scared... My current golden is a climber, but we have managed to stop that, so now he doesn't get out. I love dogs and have had them all my life.. Hope some of this helps!

martymum

HI

I have a doberman...pic in my profile, he's 4, very very loyal and soft as anything. He lightly sheds and just needs brushing with a glove once a week. Only need bathing once a year.

Only probs we have had was like a dermatitis and minimal vets costs just creams.

He doesn't like to be left alone too much and does need a lot of exercise as he's a big boy. The girls are a lot smaller but I prefer boy dogs, no reason just personal preference.

My mum has an old english sheepdog. He is very friendly and they keep a puppy playfulness thrpugh to old age. Can be prone to probs with digestion and bones...bad breeding practices. Doesn't shed but does require grooming and clipping in heat.

Both breeds have a life expectancy of about 10 years.

Hope this helps a bit

martyxx

Qarol

We (I) did a lot of research on dog breeds when we got married 5 years ago. My husband just wouldn't feel complete without a dog, but I really wanted to make sure we tried to find a dog that would suit our lifestyle. Too many dogs are quickly adopted with no thought to the family lifestyle vs the dog's habits...and the dog is the one to suffer.

First, we looked at greyhounds. We fostered one. The breed was just too large for our liking. Not enough room on our loveseat. BIG poops to clean up. Beautiful dogs, tho...except it can get tough when they see something for the first time, like stairs, and they fa-reak!

Then I found italian greyhounds. I thought...just like a greyhound but smaller. They tend to have health issues and require reqular dentals, I read. Sounded like a lot more work than we were hoping for.

Then I remembered a friend who used to breed dachshunds. I found the Dachshund Rescue of North America. We fostered our first dachshund and fell in love with her. She's now our Missy! We continued to foster dachshunds, crying every time we parted, but knowing we'd done a good deed in helping them find a good home. When Wilson came along, we were NOT looking for a second dog. But I couldn't bear to part with him, so now we have two dogs.

Really...look into fostering first. If you "fail," that's OK! ("Fail" is the joke among fostering; it just means you adopted the foster.) But if that dog turns out to not be a good fit for your family, you've still done an incredibly good thing for that animal. Best of luck in your search!

PeachyKeene

My neighbors have the sweetest German Shepherd. She loves to run with me, she is big, smart, loyal, playful and so many other things.

I have two mean Chiuauas, they don't run with me because they would want to stop and bark at their shadow. I love my doggies, but they are a bit high maintenance. I spend on average with vet bills and all, 200 a month on my two little ones. Of course, I am always buying them clothes, toys, food, getting them groamed, and other things.

vickijank

I will always recommend a German Shepherd. I love mine! He's about a year and a half old and is the sweetest dog. My sister has a pit/lab rescue who is just a sweetheart. But with all shelter dogs you never know what you're going to get. Shepherds are fine to live wherever as long as they are well exercised. Shepherds do shed A LOT but, they are great dogs

The price is going to depend on the dog. My shepherd eats 6 cups of food a day (when he chooses to) and he eats pretty pricey food (Royal Canin) so that costs be about $60 a month.

The vet bill is the same deal, it depends if your dog is prone to sickness (or eating things!). My shepherd really only goes once or twice a year for vaccinations and an annual check up so it's only a few hundred dollars tops. Heartworm meds and flea and tick meds (depending on where you live depends on if you will keep up flea and tick year round, I take my shepherd to the park a lot so I do flea and tick year round) are going to cost somewhere around $200 for the year. I order mine from Drs. Foster and Smith because they'll give you a discount for ordering in bulk.

starboardzor

We adopted a young dog from a shelter thinking she would be easier than a puppy. My guess is she'd been in a shelter all her life and she's used to peeing where she lives. She was definitely not housebroken. She ruined our carpet. She chewed holes in the wall. Destroyed hundreds of dollars worth of clothes. She pulled the siding off the side of our house (she's a small, active pointer mix). And then what did we do? Adopted a puppy. And he did all the same stuff. But they're best friends and they love eachother and we have a pretty big happy, disfunctional dog family.

Dogs will never be what you expect them to be. They will change your life and the love is really hard at first. But now I can't live without them.

One thing that irritates me is that people think dogs are going to be easy, they think they'll get along with small children, cats, not bark, not chew, not destroy, not ruin your house, not require training, and so then they find all kinds of reasons they "have" to surrender them to shelters where they only have a 50/50 chance of NOT being euthenized. Drives me nuts.

Salamanda425

I have a rat terrier....and she is a super escape artist. I've watched her climb a 6 foot fence just to get out of the 1/2 acre back yard!!! She's also super high energy....like she has springs in her paws or something!!! I also have a Bernese Mountain Dog and he's the best dog I've ever had. He's lazy when I want to be lazy and he's full of energy when I want to play or jog. He's great w/ the baby and the cats. He's super smart and super loyal. Loves a car ride too!!!

Good Luck w/ your search!

jah7700

Pugs are awesome! We have two, one was a rescue when she was about 5... Very little health problems, but they do shed.

Labs are nice, but very energetic when they are younger.

meldickman

We have a pug and I have to say she has been the BEST dog I have ever owned! We trained her to use a doggie litter box so when we are not home there is no accidents and because she is a pug they can't be outside and overheated ( I live in Florida).
We have her on a wellness plan at Banfield which is in our local Petsmart (nationwide I think) and we pay $24.00 a month which includes shots worming getting fixed and discounts on all other procedures.

chrissym78

My dog came from a rescue shelter as well and she is amazing! We know her mom was a golden retriever and the vet swears dad was a pitt or pitt mix. She is the sweetest dog EVER! She wants everybody and everything to be her friend and she is super gentle. My 3 y/o sits on her like a horse and crawls in the crate with her and she has never even nipped. And I don't even need a leash when she runs trails with me, she stays right by my side. Good luck!

VeganInTraining

First, we looked at greyhounds. We fostered one. The breed was just too large for our liking. Not enough room on our loveseat. BIG poops to clean up. Beautiful dogs, tho...except it can get tough when they see something for the first time, like stairs, and they fa-reak!

Greyhounds freak me out! My friend used to have one that followed me everywhere and if I were going anywhere alone in her house I made her hold him back. I feel like they are always the dogs that end up turning into Zombies in the movies lol...That's the great thing about humans and dogs, everyone has different taste

Seajolly

Mutts are the BEST dogs! Secondly, shihtzus! Our mutt doesn't shed, his personality is excellent, and he's little little to no health problems and is 13 years old right now! Our shihtzu came from a really great breeder in New Hampshire and she is an angel. The sweetest dog ever! Also doesn't bark and doesn't shed.

VeganInTraining

We adopted a young dog from a shelter thinking she would be easier than a puppy. My guess is she'd been in a shelter all her life and she's used to peeing where she lives. She was definitely not housebroken. She ruined our carpet. She chewed holes in the wall. Destroyed hundreds of dollars worth of clothes. She pulled the siding off the side of our house (she's a small, active pointer mix). And then what did we do? Adopted a puppy. And he did all the same stuff. But they're best friends and they love eachother and we have a pretty big happy, disfunctional dog family.

Dogs will never be what you expect them to be. They will change your life and the love is really hard at first. But now I can't live without them.

One thing that irritates me is that people think dogs are going to be easy, they think they'll get along with small children, cats, not bark, not chew, not destroy, not ruin your house, not require training, and so then they find all kinds of reasons they "have" to surrender them to shelters where they only have a 50/50 chance of NOT being euthenized. Drives me nuts.

Very true that they probably wont be what you expect! If/when we do adopt I am committed to keeping the dog no matter what (unless it is vicious and injures someone which is why I would try to get one that is in foster care rather than in a crate in the pound, but I'd give one of the true pound puppies a try as well)

NatalieWinning

The shocking thing is people get purebreeds and then dump them. They are adoptible.

I've had dogs all my life. Doxi's and Labs, mostly. And one doberman-Lab mix. From the newspaper when people couldn't keep them, or the shelter as a puppy. I've done something different this time. I got a German Shephard from a rescue group. They first put the dog into a foster home to destress it and get it done with the vet needs. This is a huge difference from a shelter dog right there. My friends with shelter dogs had to deworm them and deal with expensive vet bills immediately. They get the health needs assessed and done with. You get the dog ready to go. They don't give it up until it's ready. They will tell you which one is a couch potato, which loves to run and play and which needs a lot of exercise, etc. Some come with the note that they need to be with other specific kinds of dogs.

Then the also know the dog after destressing so they recommend dogs for you. They only let us go see ones we were compatible with. They had a lengthy previsit, and application thing so they know more about is (and if we are able to care for this dog). So by the time we met our first dog it was as if it was perfect for us! They also take them back if it doesn' work out (in their contract so we don't put it back in a shelter). The advantages are obvious. Although we picked the breed, we know we didn't want a high maintence and high energy needy dog with issues. And it had to be good with kids and our little dog. You go to see it in a home where it's been living with other pets, cats, or whatever. Most important 1. they know the dog and if it's adult the personality is already there. 2. they want you to bring it back if there are issues that won't work for you.

Although from a very hard background this dog is so happy to have it good now. She's not spoiled, she's grateful and mature. GSD's are smart and think for themselves. They are like a level headed friend. Stately and goofy at the same time. Very attached and loyal. She had not been leash trained or other things but came from the foster home completely able to be out of the kennel when we are gone. Completely respectful in the house, and never a problem. Already potty trained and done with the chewing stage! A dream come true as a pet! I will certainly do it again. I'm always looking over their website and wishing I could go get another, or foster myself. Because it was such a wonderful experience. Google a breed rescue near you that puts them in foster homes first is my advice. And I found the breed rescue originally from Petfinder.com (excellent start for shelter and rescue adoptibles) because many of the pictures came up with my rescue's name, so I looked into it and found the website.

My Doxi is a baby and stubborn little cuss. The GSD is a friend and companion. I pay nearly $50 every 3 weeks or so for food. Then $50 each for flea and heartworm stuff. Plus an annual vet visit for shots and whatevers. That can be a couple hundred if there are anything to be tested and treated (this year skin related allergy thing-and ear infection)

♥Faerie♥

I think once you get to the shelter and look through the dogs, there will be one that just connects with you, no matter the breed, you will just know she/he is the one!

I have a 12 year old pitbull, he is the greatest and most well behaved dog ever, and I also have a 7 month old French Bulldog. She is the love of my life. When I saw her, I knew she was mine, and I am sure this will happen to you also, let us know what you get!

Banks01

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best ever

hartsmart

omg pits can be so precious!! we have a pug...not a super snorty one. i work at an animal hospital part time and see all sorts of stuff. here's what i've noticed (and taken notes for our next dog):
MUTTS are awesome! usually they are part lab or sometimes even pits, and it seems like (as long as they weren't given up for some aggression issue or other unmanagable issue) they always have the best traits of all their mixed up breeding.
LABS -chocolate, black,yellow, whatever- are a lot of times just completely crazy and high strung...but just want to love and be loved (like pretty much every breed, i guess)...i wouldn't ever get one just because they are SO high strung.
PUGS are great, but -and i'm not just saying this b/c she's my baby- ours is not like the ones i've seen come through the hospital. usually they are full of issues: ear infections (which ours is prone to), nasal issues, and eye issues...any 'bug eyed' breed can have eye issues though...they tend to get a lot of debris in them.
SPANIELS are a mix for me. cockers and springers tend to be ...a problem. they often have ear problems and we see a lot with skin problems. plus they can have 'cocker rage' and turn at the drop of a hat. cavelier king charles spaniels are just about the cutest, sweetest spaniel breed ever.
TOY breeds are all up in the air. they're all adorable and great for snuggling, but chihuahuas are notoriously mean to everyone but they're owners and a small circle of people they see always. jack russels terriers are by far my least favorite. not to offend anyone, but i have never walked a JR that knew how to be on a leash. i am often worried they will strangle themselves at the end of the leash! schnauzers are sooo cute, but they have the most biting bark/cry ever! same with beagles...the noise alone is enough to turn me off.
every breed has it's issues and medical problems, but i would say medically speaking (well, as a person who sees certain animals come through more often than others) we see a lot of labs, but mostly due to their popularity, but also for expensive hip and knee surgery (they are crazy, remember). we see a lot of spaniels for ears and skin. large dogs (great danes, irish wolfhounds, scottish deerhounds, greyhounds) are THE BEST if you have space...and can let your pet go after their short life span. i think i don't have to mention that bloodhounds are always a bad idea, unless you have a purpose for them...not great housepets.
i could go on and on, but i think if you find a mixed breed young dog at an adoption agency (the young ones go fast, so good luck!) you're in for a great pet. you can tell once you meet a dog if it's the one for you. just be aware that some breeds do have aggressive tendencies and can be unpredictable (australian cattledogs tend to be a bit shady) and even just a little bit can come out of your mixed breed so training is usually the key, no matter what kind of dog you get! so it's good that your husband has experience in that sort of thing. i'm always proud when the vets and technicians tell me how amazed they are at my pugs behaviour...i see it now that i have worked with other pugs, too...it's all about the training, lifestyle and environment.
as long as your insurance isn't an issue, it would be great for you to find a pit mix. i saw the most gorgeous boy yesterday (someone's pet) ...beautiful 'blue' coloring on his face, just a mass of muscle, and all he wanted to to was sit in my lap!!
good luck!

mfpgeezy

American Pitbull Terrier is the best dog i ever had, i have had huskies, dachshunds, german sheppard, black lab, bull mastiff, but of all of them the APBT is the smartest and gentlest, they just need lots of love and walks! they are great pets and friends and are GREAT Exercise partners!