What kind of dog should I get? |
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kat
Junior Executive Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: lala land Status: Offline Points: 989 |
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Posted: 24 May 2008 at 10:08pm |
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In the near future (hopefully when I go to college) I want a little dog. Here are the ones I want:
black pom japanese chin french bulldog yeah the only problem with the french bulldog is they sometimes have breathing problems, and the problem with the japanese chin is that, well...they're kinda ugly (but in a cute way) and we have neighbors that have them and they bark a lot. and the problem with poms is that they are very territorial. so...yeah, which do you prefer? |
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madness fills my heart and soul as if the great divide could swallow me whole
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msmadz
Honor Roll 8+ years on CIH Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: New York Status: Offline Points: 9952 |
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Go to your local pound and save a poor, abandoned mutt! You can get a small one.
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The artist formerly known as Madawee
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Big Momma
Honor Roll I donated. Joined: 17 Apr 2008 Location: New Hampshire Status: Offline Points: 4920 |
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I'm a bit biased, but I'm in love with Springer Spaniels!! This is my boy Mikey! Of the small dogs, I love Poms. |
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Tiz
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"When you go to college." Bad time for a dog if you ask me. Where will you be? In a dorm, at home, anyone else there but you? Dogs wanna play, you'll be away. Why not a cat, kat?
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CatWoman
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I agree with Tiz. Dogs are pack animals...they like lots of company, and college will be very busy for you.
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Spicy_Meatball
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I'd wait til AFTER college to get one. At that time, you'll know what your career aspirations are and where you'll be living and working. The dog you choose now may not be the appropriate dog to have once you're settled into a new life in a possibly new city in a possibly cramped studio apartment. BTW, pretty much all dog breeds have particular health problems specific to them. Vet bills can add up. So can the cost of food, and boarding if you need to travel. Lastly, small dogs are still hard work. They don't use litter boxes. You have to exercise them. It's going to be at least a 10-15 year commitment, maybe more. One last thing, you'll be very surprised to realize that landlords more often than not do not allow pets (especially dogs) in their buildings. And you'd have to check with both on, and off campus housing to see if dogs/pets are even permitted.
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"Mama Mia! That's a spicy meatball!!" ~~Alka Seltzer Ad
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Thor
Revolutionary Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: Rockaway, NJ Status: Offline Points: 63905 |
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I agree with the above people who say you should really think about whether or not a dog is the best idea right now.
But if you do get a dog, get a mutt. You won't be sorry. They're smart, loving, loyal, and they're not as prone to health problems, as they haven't been over-bred.
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meinga
Revolutionary Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: Georgia Status: Offline Points: 814 |
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I agree with everyone else. Dogs are great, but they will need alot of attention and space, which at this time you may not be able to provide. Also, you will probably be more limited to where you can live. You will be very busy so think of if they bark alot because of being left alone and the safety of taking them out late at night to do their business. I don't know if you are a "cat person" but maybe consider adopting a couple of kittens or cats which need a good home and want to be adopted together, they can keep each other company. They will need attention, but not nearly as much as dogs. Besides, if you need to leave town for a couple of days, they will be just fine....and... You have lots of people here on this forum for advice. Good luck!
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CatWoman
Revolutionary Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: SW MI Status: Offline Points: 11401 |
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Cats are excellent. Very independent. Give them food, fresh water, and a clean litterbox, and they're happy.
We've left our cats alone for a week. They were a bit inattentive to US when we came back, but soon all was forgiven.
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Hezadancer
Junior Executive Joined: 06 May 2008 Location: Around Status: Offline Points: 3770 |
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Toy dogs need plenty of housebreaking, and if your off at school most
of the day and working, then that process is going to take ALOT longer,
trust me, and apartments aren't the place to be messing up with dog
soil, say good bye to your security deposit.
Tiz and Hill are right about dogs having a pack mentality, which is why having 2 dogs is fairly common. If your not going to be home as much as you would like it really makes it hard on the dog, especially if you crate. I know people with 2 big mixed breeds that they leave home alone crated for a good chunk of the day. I really feel awful for any dog pent up for a long period of time, but what can you do. I got a papillon when my husband and I started renting our house. We ended up getting a second one 7 months after the first. Paps aren't yappy at all like some other toys, but will speak up at the sound of an intruder like most dogs. Papillons are also the smartest toy breed ranging from number 12 to number 8 overall on most lists...like this one http://petrix.com/dogint/1-10.html According to that the Pom is 23rd, French Bulldog is 58th, and Chin is 62. Really though intelligence has nothing to do with how great of a pet the dog will be, your choices will still make excellent companions, they might just take a little longer to train. If you want a small, extremely bright little dog I can't recommend Papillons enough. Mine scare me sometimes with how fast they learn and they things they do. I had my new 3 month old house broken in a matter of weeks, and just taught my older one yesterday the "stay" command in less then an hour. Plus...well...Papillons are just damn sexy! Here's my two, Spock is black and Loki is brown. Not their best pics but the only good ones I've uploaded online |
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FaithSF
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My hairdresser has a Papillon. She stayed in my lap the whole time he was doing my hair, except for the highlighting (we didn't want to stain her fur). She is adorable, sweet, quiet, and SMART, like hezadancer said. Glenn told me a story about how she uses a litter box at home, and when they went to visit his mom in Florida, he taught her ONCE about how to go to the door to let him know she needed to go outside. She got it immediately. Then they got home and she went right back to the litter box. I fell in love with her.
That said, I agree with Thor: go to the SPCA or Humane Society and get a dog that isn't a pure breed. There are already so many dogs in the world who need a loving home. Why pay a fortune for a purebred, when there are so many wonderful dogs looking for love?
But something else to remember, in addition to all the other advice: when you're in college, you will most likely be moving around a lot. A lot of places won't accept dogs; moving is also very stressful for animals, just as it is with people.
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CatWoman
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This will be a good guard dog for you. Only 105 lbs.
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Spicy_Meatball
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The OP is 15 years old. Maybe her parents can help her with her pet choices when she's ready. |
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Spicy_Meatball
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I said that already.
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"Mama Mia! That's a spicy meatball!!" ~~Alka Seltzer Ad
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Hezadancer
Junior Executive Joined: 06 May 2008 Location: Around Status: Offline Points: 3770 |
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My pappy learned some other odd potty behaviors that baffle me but I enjoy none the less. Spock decided for himself that if he has to go potty and no ones around to take him (or I'm asleep) he just hops in the bath tub and takes a leak. I have no idea how he decided to do that, but my god I find it amazing. Sure it's a little gross if you think about it but I'd rather him pee somewhere I can rinse it down. I've never seen him in the act, I only find out after I've come home or wake up. I never taught him to do that, and he doesn't do it frequently, but just another sign that pappies are smart little ones. |
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meinga
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Oh, really?...I was under the impression that college was this fall.
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LOL1955
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I love anything with four feet, cats or dogs, whatever. As said by others, think carefully about your potential living situation. Also as mentioned above, consider rescuing a shelter animal. They come in all sizes and are just waiting for someone to love.
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Love endures all.
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Jimmy
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My daughter adopted a black pom last year for me, for Father's day.
He's an awesome little guy, and I love him! That's who I'd adopt. |
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One man gathers what another man spills
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kat
Junior Executive Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: lala land Status: Offline Points: 989 |
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I'll probably get a cat while in college, like you said. But when I'm fully grown and famous and have a big house, I want a cat, a dog, and a bunny.
Here's the cats I want. Everyone argue over which one is the best. And I'm super good at cats because we have five. Scottish Fold. This cat looks exactly like my Hobbes, but he's not a fold. Russian Blue. (On an unrelated note, check out the eyes on this cat! WHOA.) Polydactyl cat. They have extra toes due to a deformity. If I get one of these, I'm naming it Hemingway. So yeah. Now here's the bunny I want. I will get no other kind. It must looks something like this. It MUST have floppy ears. I will not take any other bun. |
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madness fills my heart and soul as if the great divide could swallow me whole
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Tiz
Revolutionary I donated! Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 15588 |
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I don't wanna argue, kat. Whats a good cat for someone(me) that never had one before?
Indoor cat perferably.
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NiteRaidah
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NOT a Shiba Inu.
It's not because they're bad dogs, far from it. It's just that they're very attached to one person, and usually one person only, they can't really interact with other animals all that well, and they're prima donnas. Lot of a Napoleon complex, there.
I speak from experience because our family has one, and while he is a good dog, he also has the traits that I mentioned above.
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CatWoman
Revolutionary Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: SW MI Status: Offline Points: 11401 |
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We have a Russian Blue named Coosa. She's very gentle and very quiet. I call her our "little lady."
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ForumAdmin
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Get the Frenchie. Hands down!
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kat
Junior Executive Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: lala land Status: Offline Points: 989 |
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The breed of cat has nothing to do with whether they are indoor or outdoor- that's completely up to you. I definitely recommend that you have your cat be inside 100% of the time and have them fixed. That way there's no chance of feline AIDS or any other kitty STDs, and your cat can't go around knocking up all the strays in the area. Anyway, I think for your first cat you should just get whatever cat you think is cutest. I think you should go somewhere that's selling young kittens, not full grown cats, because then you will have them for a long time and they haven't developed a set temperament yet. Anyway, once you find a litter of cute kitties, watch how they interact with each other. You should pick a kitty that's socializing well with the others, and socializing well with you when you pet it. The more time you spend petting and playing with your kitten when it's young, the more sociable it will be later in life. |
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madness fills my heart and soul as if the great divide could swallow me whole
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CatWoman
Revolutionary Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: SW MI Status: Offline Points: 11401 |
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So, just put the older cats that are adoptable to sleep?
We found a pregnant cat that was stray - or, should I say, she found us. She had her 7 kittens on our porch. We took care of them all until the babies were 9 weeks old, then took everybody to the shelter.
When Momma, who is now named Peaches, got spayed, we adopted her back from the shelter. She's one of our sweetest cats. Her kittens were all eventually adopted.
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