Thinking about getting a dog

[bpassmore]

Several have posted up about the Jack Russell Terriers. They have really good luck with them.

The ones I have been around are hyper, mean, possesive, nipping at you all the time, etc. Maybe it is because I smell like a Beagle? I don't know.

My sister had a Jack Russel that exhibited the same tendencies. i will not be looking at them too much. If the right one catches our eye, then we will do it, but I tend to agree with you.

 

[UltraFJ40]

Several have posted up about the Jack Russell Terriers. They have really good luck with them.

The ones I have been around are hyper, mean, possesive, nipping at you all the time, etc. Maybe it is because I smell like a Beagle? I don't know.

That's been my experience as well.


We picked up a 3 month old Golden last Thursday. He joins our four month old Yellow Lab.

 

[peepers]

i somewhat agree... there is no magic wand or silver bullet or guarantee... however, the behaviorist is still much more informed than the vet for this.

more importantly, there are behaviors that can be predicted from a very young age. skittishness/fearfullness is a great example. it is very very hard to train this out of a dog. as we all know in dogs, its either fight or flight. a skittish dog will choose flight most of the time. when it cant flee, it will have to fight. this will lead to dog bites, especially with children (specifically under 10yrs old) and you don't want that. there are tests you can do with a puppy that will illustrate this behavior. a simple one is how it reacts to a loud startling sound like dripping a clip board. you will want a dog that runs to the clip board to investigate or one that does not react at all. one that cowers and runs from the noise? don't adpot unless you want to do a lot of work.

i also agree that breed characteristics are something to at least pay attention to... beagles = hound dog (if I am not mistaken) = tend to be loud/alterers... howlers, barkers. also tend to be fairly independent. they tend to be very loyal and family oriented (they hunt in packs). tend to be very smart and easy to train but supposedly require a firm, consistent hand.

again, all of this is general knowledge... there are uniques and exceptions and of course each dog has its own personality which is why we love them so much.

 

[CruisinMT]

the most important thing is to allow yourself enough time to properly train the dog. They have to learn how to behave around people big, small, young and old. exposure to different kinds of people and other dogs is important so they know how to behave in each situation. Also your family needs to be the leaders. scheduled feeding, training time and exercise for your dog are great tools to mold them into a great family member. Pick the dog you like and be dedicated and things will be fine. If you do get a dog from a rescue shelter or some other place make sure you know it's background. Bad habits are hard to break especially if a dog has been abused. You'll make the right choice and I hope you find a great addition to your household.

Almost forgot airdales are an awesome breed as well, my dad has one he fatches slippers and all. Pretty cool dogs but on the big side anywhere from 60-80 lbs.

 

[bpassmore]

I was just looking at an Airdale. Awesome dog. Thanks MT.

 

[peepers]

I was just looking at an Airdale. Awesome dog. Thanks MT.

keep in mind the terrier characteristics and put them in a 60lb body...

i cant wait to see what you end up with... what a blast!

 

[Critter]

There is no Vet or Behavior specialist that can pull the magic wand out and tell you how the dog will behave.

This is true, to an extent. Every dog is different to an extent. However there are some very distinct breed standards for behavior, activity level, etc.

For example, Jack Russells are very active. PERIOD. Now comes the owner, if the owner has a big yard and can afford to spend lots and lots of time outside with the dog letting it run and play, etc then likely the dog will not be a problem in the house with proper training. However if you are like most people who during the week leave the dog at home alone, let it out to use the bathroom 2 or 3 (whatever) times a day, and play with it for 10-15 minutes before and/or after dinner you are likely (regardless of training) going to have a dog that is a borderline nuisance in the house when you are home. (This is most of the time, some dogs are just different though)

Part of my reason for recommending visiting a vet is that they have a pretty firm grasp on these standardized behavior traits since they spend all day every day around 100's of dogs of different breeds. They also have a real firm grasp on what to expect or where problem areas are with certain breeds. For example, dogs like poodles and cockers, that have an abundant about of hair in and around their ears tend to have problems with yeast, mites, etc, etc. If you get a poodle you should expect to clean their ears and (if your groomer doesn't) pull/cut excess hair out as well to help reduce these problems. This is what I was getting at in addition to the breed standard characteristics such as behavior and activity levels. I could send you one of my neoplasia note packets for pathology and the section on which breeds are predisposed to each type of cancer is enough to make anyone insane, then add in 4 or 5 different species to that mix and that is just one very small area of medicine.

 

[sirenmoses]

If you do get a dog from a rescue shelter or some other place make sure you know it's background. Bad habits are hard to break especially if a dog has been abused.

I agree w/most of what Cruisin said, except the above. Rescue & shelter dogs very rarely have known backgrounds, and the reasons someone gives for turning in a dog aren't necessarily the truth.

Dogs from a reputable breed-specific rescue group are almost always evaluated for temperment by people who have lived with that breed for years, and most groups try very hard to make the best placement for the animal and the adopter. Some groups even check back every few months to ensure a good transition. Any good group (or breeder, for that matter) will serve as a resource for questions, and can provide training tips, food suggestions, etc.

Check out this rescue groups newsletter for some great tips: https://3763524891552020672-a-18027...LXAyGTtloDzsRHKpJuiuCwRBZR2nQafv4TSVYTj0vyg==

Good luck in your search, can't wait to see what you wind up with.

 

[bpassmore]

I will be looking at this girl tomorrow..

She is older, but supposedly very good with others. I have my doubts, but we will see.

Ill let yall know.

 

[bpassmore]

Ok, well we got our puppy. After all my searching and analyzing and attempts to make this "informed and accurate" decision, I wound up falling for a little dog that my daughter was twitterpated with.

Please, do not laugh. I got her a Shih Tzu puppy. we had some friends that recently got one, and Kirsten loved her. She was so good with her and they had very good luck with the house training, and since Kirsten is a long way from being able to use a service dog, this was a great solution for her (us).

I will post some pictures later today. Thank you for all your advise and guidance and ideas. I hope this thread is able to help others who are looking.

 

[D'Animal]

Congrats!





Had to Google this one.

twitterpated

twitterpated

1)to be completely enamored with someone/something.
2) the flighty exciting feeling you get when you think about/see the object of your affection.