For The Dog Lovers Here

[Coss]

That's the best advice ever! Also, all puppies within a breed and more so their breeders are not created equal. Check with your local kennel club regarding a breeders file for the breed you finally decide on that best fits your family and lifestyle. Please don't buy a dog just because you like how it looks.

For us it started out with a Golden, then a Collie, and finishing out with four Sable & White Shetland Sheepdogs over a 47 year time span.

Thanks; actually I've had better luck with cross breeds than purebred; pound puppies are just forever grateful.
I've had Doberman's, German Shepherds, Danish Shepherds (there's a big difference) Black Lab/Shepherd mix, A Ridgeback/and something mix, and a few others; had cats constantly since 1977. Right now we have the 4 cats and no dog; just couldn't handle an animal that needs that much attention. And that's the one thing most people miss; dogs take a lot of your attention, especially if you want it trained. My dogs never needed leashes; I would just have them to make other people feel better, that went double when I had my Dobies. Doberman are actually big lap dogs, but they sure scare a lot of people.

 

[Rickb]

We had to put our last dog Buddy down about a year ago. We have had a dog during our entire 47 years of wedded bliss and decided it was going to be our last. Hopefully, the dog wasn't the key ingredient to wedded bliss.

The mixed breeds are the coolest and generally have fewer health issues than purebreds. We were kennel club members forever and trained our dogs for obedience and agility competition more for fun than serious competiton.

Dobies with natural unclipped ears look friendly and sweet rather than alert and aggressive with the more typical clipped ears. Excellent family breed.

Buddy, jumping a hurddle at an agility trial.

 

[Coss]

We had to put our last dog down about a year ago. We have had a dog during our entire 47 years of wedded bliss and decided it was going to be our last. Hopefully, the dog wasn't the key ingredient to wedded bliss.

The mixed breeds are the coolest and generally have fewer health issues than purebreds. We were kennel club members forever and trained our dogs for obedience and agility competition more for fun than serious competiton.

Dobies with natural unclipped ears look friendly and sweet rather than alert and aggressive with the more typical clipped ears. Excellent family breed.

Mine were clipped and bobbed tail; they also knew the difference between "happy time" vs. "guard time"; when a certain collar went on, I was the only one that could come close; commands were also taught in German. I can't even speak German, but I knew the commands.

 

[Coss]

How about a little homemade Star Wars character

 

[Ian442]

I don't allow any pets or plants in my house on a permanent basis for now.

6 of us are constantly on the go and I hated coming home growing up to a pet who was by itself all day wanting attention.

Its not fair to the animal so until someone is home on a regular basis no pets for us. The exception is that we dog sit for a friend once or twice a year for a week.

 

[NSTG8R]

How about a little homemade Star Wars character

 

[Coss]

I don't allow any pets or plants in my house on a permanent basis for now.

6 of us are constantly on the go and I hated coming home growing up to a pet who was by itself all day wanting attention.

Its not fair to the animal so until someone is home on a regular basis no pets for us. The exception is that we dog sit for a friend once or twice a year for a week.

Try a cat for a change; they are no where near as "needy" as a dog.

 

[Ian442]

Try a cat for a change; they are no where near as "needy" as a dog.

I had cats growing up too. Cool animals once trained. However I have recently discovered my youngest boy may be allergic to cats. We aren't around in other people's homes much so cat contact was near non existent. Dogs outnumber cats here 50 to 1.

Also my wife does not like cats.

 

[NSTG8R]

Try a cat for a change; they are no where near as "needy" as a dog.

Cats wouldn't care if you dropped dead as long as there was food in their bowl.
Had cats. They're 'ok', but I'll take a dog over a cat anyday.

 

[JEBar]

over the years we've had several large outdoor dogs (no cats ) .... we knew that when we retired we would be traveling for at least 6 months each year .... when the last one passed we decided to not get another .... I didn't want to be going through some battlefield or museum and have to worry about getting back to the camper so we could let the dog out .... once we can no longer travel, another dog may be in the cards