What dog breed(s) would be good for this situation?

[LM1313]

What breeds would be happy with an hour walk in the morning, an hour walk in the evening, and playtime in a fenced yard for probably an hour or two every day?

It would be actual walking for the morning and evening walk, BTW, because I don't have the endurance for jogging or running.

I'd also prefer a breed that doesn't require a lot of grooming . . . maybe a brushing once or twice a week. Shedding is fine, I don't mind fur, LOL!

[LibbyP]

Are you looking for really big? I highly recommend my big girl Libby to anyone at the dog park that asks and knows what breed of dog she is (E.Mastiff), she is very laid back in the house, actually a big sofa potato, she enjoys her walks and play time but other than that she's a really good girl, quiet, you do however have to get used to drool and slingers everywhere she doesn't bother with the cats/kids, she does shed but not going to the groomer shed, just a quick brush down but that's my (HO)

[Golden Girls]

I think any breed would be perfectly happy with this deal

[Prin]

I agree. That's a pretty sweet deal.

[we3beagles]

Beagle, beagle beagle. A 3 year old beagle would be perfect for you. My * year old has never had a bath in his whole life and his coat is perfection. He doesn't smell bad (of course I love doggy smell) and you just need to clean his ears twice a week and clip his nails and brush his teeth. They are perfectly content to sit with you and watch TV or walk if you desire.

[rainbow]

I agree also...what dog wouldn't love a deal like that?

Do you have a preference as to size or anything? What pets do you have now?

[dogcatharmony]

i agree with any breed would love that life..............not that is has to be a pure bred.........i think all the dogs at a local shelter would jump at the chance for that kind of home.

[LM1313]

Right now I have two lovely indoor kitties.

I love large and medium dogs. Small isn't my favorite dog size, although I've always liked papillions. But I feel large dogs are the most huggable.

I won't be able to get a dog for a while because right now I'm in an apartment . . . Saving up for a house, though! So I'm just planning and dreaming, LOL!

Some other traits I'd look for in a dog would be . . .

- friendly towards people and animals (I don't need a watchdog, I'm fine with a "lead strangers to the silverware" dog)
- receptive to training (not too stubborn or dense)
- doesn't see small animals as prey (due to the cats)

I know it depends a lot on the individual dog, of course.

Do you think that would be enough exercise for a dalmation? I've always admired them, but I've heard they have a ton of energy. Not that that's my ONLY choice, it's just a breed I was thinking about.

I also have to decide between a puppy versus an adult . . . I love puppies (doesn't everyone, LOL!), but maybe it would be easier to get an older, calmer dog used to the cats.

(Or I could get one of each.)

[MyBirdIsEvil]

I would recommend a collie.

I love large and medium dogs.

Check. They get around 60 lbs.

friendly towards people and animals

Check. They will bark if they think there's danger normally, but they rarely bite, and a well socialized collie would be extremely hard to make violent. My collie loves kids and tries to be friends with the cats, though they don't like him, lol

doesn't see small animals as prey

Most collies won't attack a cat, but ALL dogs regardless of breed need to be trained to leave cats alone. Collies usually aren't very interested in cats though (other than to play).

Do you think that would be enough exercise for a dalmation?

I don't know much about dalmations, but from dogbreedinfo.com:

They get along well with other pets, but some may be aggressive with strange dogs; males often dislike other males. Somewhat high-strung, and can be timid without enough socialization.

About collies from dogbreedinfo.com:

They are good-natured, friendly, dogs. They are energetic outdoors. They can be wary of strangers, stubborn and indolent. It has a fairly good sense of protectiveness for its master, especially for children. They are not aggressive, but they do tend to be suspicious of people they do not like.

They're usually fairly calm indoors. You can't do repetative training with them, but if you make training sessions fun and non-redundant they're fun and easy to train with.

A lot of individual dogs from any breed are great dogs, but if you're wanting to narrow it down to certain breeds I would definately recommend a collie. Plus it's the only dog I can recommend that I've actually owned, lol.

I LOVE rottweilers, but I used to have a female rottweiler and they can be extremely highstrung. She was probably the friendliest dog I've ever seen and loved children, but she was very hyper. I think the males are supposed to be calmer but I'm not sure.

I have 2 puppies and I would definately recommend you get an older dog. If you get a purebred, there are many older dogs that you can adopt which have been housetrained, socialized, etc. Also, these older dogs, though housebroken and stuff, are less likely to get adopted. Everyone goes and looks at the puppies and goes "OMG! HOW CUTE!" and ignores the older dogs, so I would consider it.
You also know what personality an adult dog will have. If you get a purebred puppy it's personality may not turn out anything like breed standard, but you won't know 'til it's older.

[dogmelissa]

I would also recommend that you go to your local shelter... maybe even *now* and talk to them about what kind of dogs they get most often, and what kind they'd recommend for you (though I also agree that it sounds very much like just about any breed would be *very* happy with that situation, though I suspect that 4 hours of activity would be too much for a small non-working dog breed, like my Maltese). You can also have a quick look around the net to see if there are any specific breed rescue places near your town; there might be one that has a breed (dalmation for example) that you already know you might like. Or see if there is an all-breed rescue.

Don't rule out breeders even if you decide you don't want a pup (though with the cats, it might be safer to get a pup so that you can be sure they didn't learn earlier in their life to chase cats), as some breeders will have adult dogs that they either couldn't find homes for when they were pups or who were returned due to changes in their families situation. Or perhaps the breeder kept them to show and it turns out they're not a good show dog. A good breeder will always have a clause in their contract to take back a dog that an family cannot keep (for whatever reason). Some places (shelters even!) will let you have a dog on a trial basis to see if it fits into your life and home, as many dogs act differently when they're in a new home than they do in a kennel or at a breeder's house, and they don't want you to get a dog home (permanently) and then realize that it has the world's highest prey drive or eats leather furniture (when that's all you have!) and then you have to give it back.

And thank you in advance for considering what kind of dog you want much much in advance of getting one. The spur-of-the-moment decisions are always bad. I'm also glad that you have looked at your life and know that you can commit so much time to a dog; I'm sure whatever dog you get will be grateful for all your advanced planning and the time commitment you put into not only choosing the right dog, but into their needs.
I'm sure whatever dog you choose up with, whether it's big, small, purebred or pure mutt, will be exactly what you wanted and be an awesome dog.

Good luck in your home search and dog search. Don't forget to give your kitties enough time to settle into their new home before you get a dog (from experience, at least a couple months).

Melissa

[Prin]

You describe a lab or lab mutt perfectly and there are gazillions of them- you can pick your shape, size, color, personality.

[rainbow]

I think when the time comes andyou're ready for a dog you should go to a shelter or rescue and see what's available. Tell them the qualities you're looking for and they'll be able to tell you which dogs of the ones they have are a match for you.

[Prin]

Originally Posted by rainbow

I think when the time comes andyou're ready for a dog you should go to a shelter or rescue and see what's available.

And who you fall in love with, too.

[dogmelissa]

Originally Posted by Prin

And who you fall in love with, too.

Pffff, we all know it's not you who picks the dog, it's the dog that picks you!!

[rainbow]

That's what I mean...you just know when it happens. :love:

[Golden Girls]

Another thought

When the time is right maybe you can consider fostering from your local SPCA http://search.petfinder.com/shelterS...fier&preview=1. It could be a great trial and help you chose the perfect dog for you and your 2 lovely kitties before actually committing.

Adopting an older dog (even a young dog) has many benefits ... usually their already trained but more importantly you've possibly saved him/her as well as creating a free space for the next homeless animal.

I do think however going this route ... the hardest part will be not falling in :love: with all of them

[Puppyluv]

Originally Posted by LM1313

Do you think that would be enough exercise for a dalmation? I've always admired them, but I've heard they have a ton of energy. Not that that's my ONLY choice, it's just a breed I was thinking about.

I grew up with a dal, and my best friend's family had a dal, both from great breeders (so not a temperement flaw) but I would say, deffinately not. They need to run, and they need exercise more often. Your proposed schedule would work for almost any breed of dog, but dals are one of the few that it wouldn't work for. (also, if you think your dog sheds a lot, you have never met a dal, I sitll have fur on my stuff from our dal who passed away 8 years ago)

[LM1313]

Ahhh, I'd better cross dalmations off my list then. Thanks for letting me know . . . Better to know now than after I've got one! What about border collies? Do you think it would be enough exercise for one of them?
Edit: I've been researching and there is NO WAY I could provide enough exercise for a border collie. Ebony was part border collie (she would do "the stare" when playing), but her lab side must have mellowed her a lot.

I like collies, but the rough collies take a lot of grooming, don't they? How common/rare are smooth-coated collies?

Prin, I am a huge fan of lab-mixes! And of course there are always tons at the local animal shelters. (I've already started checking Petfinder, LOL!) I love black dogs, I have NEVER understood why they're passed over so much at shelters.

But I am hesitant to get a dog that looks too much like Ebony did (she was a lab mix) because I don't want to feel like I'm just "replacing" her and also I'm worried that I would compare the new dog with her too much. She was an incredibly sweet, easy to train, obedient dog; she never had an accident after four months old, she loved all people and animals (well, except squirrels ), and you could leave food on the coffee table or end table and she wouldn't touch it, even though it was at head-level of her. I don't want to get a similar looking dog and always be haranguing, "Why aren't you housetrained as fast as Ebony was? Why don't you learn to sit as quickly as Ebony did? Argh, you chewed up the couch, Ebony never did that!" That just wouldn't be fair to the new dog. So I only want a lab mix that isn't pure black like Ebo was (like, one that has shepherd markings or a white foot or something) or that's significantly different in size and build.

I just thought of another factor . . . I'd love to be able to do agility with my dog! I actually wanted to do it with Ebony, even started training her, but somehow I got the impression only purebreds were allowed to compete and I gave it up. But I was browsing around an Agility Dog page just now and it seems that it's just at AKC events that only purebred dogs are allowed, while other events allowed mixed breeds.

I know exactly what you mean about the animal choosing you . . . When I was at the shelter choosing kitties, my little tabby Remy walked right over to the bars of the cage and waved his paw through them to get my attention. And he's usually such a shy little fellow!

[Angies Man]

I'm a std poodle person, great for apartment living ( had one in an apt.) They generally get along with everyone, even kitties, but bond strongly to THEIR person. Can go all day without a potty call. Smart, clean, pleasing, and easy to train. Incredibly affectionate. Need to be taken in for grooming every 6 wks, tho.

I had a Great Dane (probably mixed with some lab) Brindle from the Spokane pound (probably now called Animal Shelter.) My Dane was the lifetime dog to which I'll always compare other dogs. Kept me alive when I was down, a source of daily joy and wonder. I was in grad school in WSU, he could go 10 hrs without an out. In summer, I found a place where I could park my pickup under a big tree and leave him for a couple of hours while I went to class or work--a bit of rug in the back of the truck, some water and food, and he was happy--I used to watch him wagging his tail and greeting folks as they walked by (it was the 70's, a totally different time for dogs.) Loved to go out and about and feel the awe of mere mortals and the love of little kids. There's a rather large Dane rescue in Riverside CA run by Burt Ward (Robin from the 60's TV version of Batman.) Other than eating Great Dane sized meals & making Great Dane sized poops, they are a rather small impact dog (surprisingly easy to live with, like to ride in the car, sleep next to the bed all curled up on a blanket.)

I know there are good Dalmations out there, but the periodic Disney movies haven't helped the breed. There's a lot of inbreeding in the Dalmation world, aggressive behavior, blindness, and deafness have been the result.

I've met some awfully nice Greyhounds over the years, tho. And they are pretty clean, manageable dogs. Race dogs need socializing, and generally are fostered before they're ready for adoption. And there seems to be an unlimited number of potential adoptees to choose from.

In smaller dogs (mediums) I've never met a Welch Corgi I didn't like--another breed that hasn't been popular enough to have the breed messed up. Miniature Poodles (breed standard is less than 15 pounds) have all of the wonderful qualities of the Standards but in a smaller package. Both breeds don't ACT like smallish dogs. They aren't nervous or timid.

I agree with the general underlying principal that it's best to look for rescue/shelter dogs first. Between Spokane and Couer D. there's probably a perfect dog for you just waiting for you to come and get him.

If you want to check Petfinder and look at the Reno area SPCA, Humane Society(they have a Great Dane!), Sugarland Ranch (Mastif Rescue--I love Mastiffs!), Saints of the West, or Wylie (my favorite rescue shelter,) and see something that interests you, LMK and I'll go have a look. Seattle and Tacoma have excellent shelters and rescues, too.

[Puppyluv]

What about a beautiful Irish Setter? Or a little less energetic, a Gordon Setter?

[MyBirdIsEvil]

I like collies, but the rough collies take a lot of grooming, don't they? How common/rare are smooth-coated collies?

Rough collies actually don't take much brushing compared to most longhaired dogs. They have a coat made to not hold in mud and stuff, so if you brush them for a few minutes every day that's sufficient. If you don't wanna brush them every day, a heavy brushing about once a week is ok. They don't shed too much either on good food if you keep them brushed, except when they're blowing their coat. They're also not prone to knots.
I dunno how common smooth coated collies are, I've never seen one in person, and couldn't really find any rescues or reputable breeders, but where I live collies aren't real common overall, so I don't know.

Btw, border collies are really high energy and stubborn, so I dunno how good of a choice that is. Their grooming is also a little more high maintenence than rough collies because it knots a bit easier.

[dogmelissa]

Originally Posted by LM1313

I just thought of another factor . . . I'd love to be able to do agility with my dog! I actually wanted to do it with Ebony, even started training her, but somehow I got the impression only purebreds were allowed to compete and I gave it up. But I was browsing around an Agility Dog page just now and it seems that it's just at AKC events that only purebred dogs are allowed, while other events allowed mixed breeds.

You can do agility with any dog breed, given that the dog has the right temperament for it. Generally a dog who is very afraid or very high-strung (ie easily strartled or aggravated), and some dogs who have like the world's biggest personal space or are dog-aggressive, won't be suited to agility. But I don't think you're going to get one of these kind of dogs (none of these traits are breed-specific, btw). I just started agility with my dog (Maltese X) and in my class there's a Wheaton Terror, I mean terrier, a Weimeraner, a Border Collie, and Cube the Maltese Mutt.

Most agility events aren't AKC or CKC sponsored. There are some, but most are open to all breeds, mixes and sizes, given that they are properly vaccinated, etc etc etc. Where do you live?--I'll have a look and see if there is a local agility club you can talk to, or ask my trainer, she has been everywhere judging agility. And just FYI, the Superdogs (I'm sure you've heard of them?)--over 40% of their participants (dogs) are rescues, ie they may be an identifiable breed, but don't have registration or "papers".

Melissa

Edited to add the following:
"The public may visit dog agility trials from about 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 26-27 at University Elementary School in Spokane Valley, 1613 S. University Road, on the south side of the school. The Spokane Dog Training Club is holding the free event."
Spokane Dog Training Club: http://www.spokanedtc.org/newagility.htm

However.... many "general" training places also offer agility classes. You may want to visit a few (call first!) to find a trainer you like, a facility you like, and a schedule that would suit you. Please remember that if you get a puppy, agility training is often done a little differently because it's bad for puppies to jump higher than their own shoulders until 1.5 yrs of age (hard on their bones & joints), and I don't believe that any organization allows competitions with dogs less than this age (at least not with the "general") group.
(If you want to see if there are others, I did a search on "dog agility spokane", but you could also check in the phone book for dog training facilities or even ask the shelter, a good quality pet store (Walmart won't know!), or your veterinarian to make a recommendation on a facility or a specific trainer. If your first dog decides he or she doesn't want to have anything to do with agility, you might have to get a second or third or fourth dog. :P There is also flyball and lots of other activities to try with a dog, but agility is, IMO, the funnest!

[phoenix]

I'll put in a good word for my fav, the boxer. The only thing going against them is their energy level as puppies (up to age 2 or 3). That said, my puppy is one of the calmest pups i've seen, so it depends. As older dogs, they slow down considerably and they are SOO loving and friendly. Tons of kisses. Good sleepers, preferably using you as a pillow. They have 'wiggle bums' and are very joyful dogs. They shed but not tumbleweeds. Excellent agility ability when fit. Just watch for genetic diseases with purebreds, they are prone to cancer and other bad things. They are medium sized (boys are larger, about 70 to 80 lbs, girls about 60 lbs or so, with lots of variation. They can have a prey drive (ie. kitties) so would need training, socialization around cats. Rumored to be very good with children.

If you're looking to rescue, lots of white boxers need homes because they aren't supposed to be show/breeding material. They are neat looking. Check out boxer rescue Ontario or Quebec.

[Angies Man]

When I was growing up, we had a scottish collie, looked more like Lassie and was regular collie size, but didn't have as long a nose. I guess these are considered smooth collies. She looked like a sheltie, but was at least half again larger than the shelties I've seen. I think we got her around 1955, or so, Lady was my brother's birthday present (tho she looked to my mom as the pack leader.) She was a really sweet dog, infinitely patient with three little children--but absolutely hated my dad. So I guess she was pretty intelligent, too. She looked a bit like this dog:




A trully hairy beast, who managed to brush up against my dad's suit pants just as he was leaving for work.

If you google collies, there are breeder's websites that come up. Some beautiful dogs, too. And another wonderful breed that hasn't been popular enough in this country (or on this continent?) to get terribly inbred.

[MyBirdIsEvil]

When I was growing up, we had a scottish collie, looked more like Lassie and was regular collie size, but didn't have as long a nose. I guess these are considered smooth collies.

A scottish collie is just the name for both the rough and smooth coat collies.

The ones with the long fur are rough collies, I have one, I would know .

The smooth coated collies have short fur.

If you google collies, there are breeder's websites that come up. Some beautiful dogs, too. And another wonderful breed that hasn't been popular enough in this country (or on this continent?) to get terribly inbred.

I see you live in the U.S and that is absolutely NOT true. Collies are prone to genetic eye diseases, hip dysplasia, elbow problems, and several other things. I don't know of ANY purebred that isn't prone to some kind of genetic disease. You have it backwards though, the less dogs the more common diseases and inbreeding are because the genetic pool is smaller. Yes it means there may be less backyard breeders, but otherwise has nothing to do with genetic diseases.
It's EXTREMELY easy to get a poorly bred collie, I didn't find this out until after we got one. Collies are one of the breeds that are VERY likely to be poorly bred and have problems if you don't get them from a reputable breeder.

Scroll down the page and there's a picture of a smooth collie.

[LL1]

Good place to look at regarding various breeds,I suggest clicking the review-What's good about 'em...what's bad about 'em section

http://yourpurebredpuppy.com/dogbreeds/index.html

[LM1313]

I'm getting some great advice, thanks guys.

Angie's Man, this is what a smooth collie looks like:



There's a smooth collie that I see every day walking home from the bus stop . . . very pretty dog! The only difference between a rough collie and a smooth collie is the length of their coat.

[MyBirdIsEvil]

Here's a pic of Royce at 4 months and now at 8 months. Rough coat sable & white.
He's not in full coat and probably won't completely get his until he's about 3. He wouldn't have that huge fluffy coat in the summer anyway.

[Angies Man]

Guess I had it bass axwards, it's only been about 40 years since I've even thought about Lady in any way more than a kid's memory.

Anyhow, Lady was a full sized long haired, short nosed collie. Looked alot like like the dogs used for the Lassie series.

As you say, all breeds (and non-breeds, too) have health problems. When I say that the breed hasn't been messed up, I guess I mean that it hasn't been hugely OVER bred by profit driven irresponsible breeders, the way (in my limited experience) dalmations, some GSDs, pitty's, others have. I'm sorry you got a dog with health problems (I've had that happen myself.) You can be the most responsible adopter and the breeder can be the most up & up breeder and getting a puppy is still always a gamble.

[Angies Man]

Originally Posted by MyBirdIsEvil

Here's a pic of Royce at 4 months and now at 8 months. Rough coat sable & white.
He's not in full coat and probably won't completely get his until he's about 3. He wouldn't have that huge fluffy coat in the summer anyway.

Sure is handsome.