I'll say having 2 dogs - Beagle & Lab.
I'll say having 2 dogs - Beagle & Lab.
Get as many pets as you can handle with our space and money and get them from the pound or from someone who is going to take them to the pound. Lets stop the pet breeding for profit. This is all that matters. These helpless animals are in our charge and are our responsibility to care for, and they help us live longer better lives.
Beagles are high maintenance outdoor dogs. Generally, female dogs are better pets than male dogs, I can't remember why. There are probably some dog rescue organizations near you that would be a lot better than getting a pedigreed dog. The rescue dogs usually have foster homes until they get placed so you can find out a lot about the dog's personality before you commit. I would not recommend a puppy. You really don't know what you're getting when it grows up. A juvenile or young adult would be the way to go. My wife and I have fostered seven dogs and cats.
Golden Retriever ftw
yellow lab hands down. Only get one and bring him to the dog park.
German Shepherds all the way.
fisky wrote:
Generally, female dogs are better pets than male dogs [..]I would not recommend a puppy. You really don't know what you're getting when it grows up.[..]My wife and I have fostered seven dogs and cats.
1. When spayed/neutered, there shouldn't be much difference in behavior regarding female/male.
2. BS. If you get a puppy, you will be able to train them easily. If you know what you're doing, you will know what you get.
3. Raising a puppy is a fun experience but I am glad that some prefer to rescue older dogs, which have it more difficult finding a home.
big dogs are the best wrote:
German Shepherds all the way.
I have seen a lot of bad behavior in German shepherds. Not sure why but must have something to do with genetics. Talking about which - a German shpherd is not a good dog for a runner. HD.
German shorthaired pointer
dogowner wrote:
I have seen a lot of bad behavior in German shepherds. Not sure why but must have something to do with genetics. Talking about which - a German shpherd is not a good dog for a runner. HD.
I don't think it's genetic. Most people just suck at socializing and properly training GSDs. But if your time is really limited (and if you're training hard, it probably is) then I guess that could be a significant challenge. And if you're looking to run with them they can be pretty annoying, they stop too much, but I don't think I would run with my dogs anyways.
Based on my neighborhood, it seems to be pit bulls.
There is no best breed. You have to decide which breed is most appropriate for your lifestyle. Lots of good breeds and they all have plus and negatives. the difference between male and female in my experience is that within a breed the male will be bigger and somewhat more impressive to look at. The females tend to want to be dominant but if you can channel the dominance and be a dominant owner the females tend to be more willing to please.In my opinion!
Have a bloodhound and a lab...absolutely fantastic dogs both
ASPCA wrote:
Get as many pets as you can handle with our space and money and get them from the pound or from someone who is going to take them to the pound. Lets stop the pet breeding for profit. This is all that matters. These helpless animals are in our charge and are our responsibility to care for, and they help us live longer better lives.
This is a great response. But only get as many as you can handle. I will say that we started with 2 shelter pups who are about 4 years apart and generally the same size. We got the younger one when he was a puppy and made sure our older female liked him and it's worked well. When you start adding more, the dynamic can change drastically. You cannot expect the dog you've had the longest will be the dominant one - the dogs will work out the pecking order amongst themselves. We have had 3 different foster dogs in addition to our first two and generally our older female keeps to herself while our male pup plays and tries to dominate the fosters we've had.
Generally I think aiming to have dogs similar in size is helpful. Just make sure you get them fixed!
Please for the love of god do not "rescue" a dog or I will punch you in your smug little face. I don't want to hear for the next 10-15 years how great you are.
My fiance will be a vet here in about 6 months and she gets this question a lot.
Honestly, the best dog is a mix. So many dogs that have been bred just because they are a certain breed end up multiplying the chances of bad physical characteristics.
EVERY BREED HAS PROBLEMS. Labs can easily have a twisted stomach, partial laryngeal paralysis, etc. German shepherds have hip issues and can be anxious dogs... Great danes usually have a lifespan of like 9 years... dachshunds get slipped discs. Every dog has issues.
Best advice I can give is go to the humane society and pick up a mutt. Puppies require a lot of time and training (as we are being reminded with a black lab/german shorthair pointer puppy right now), so I'd suggest a dog at least one year old.
Avoid those breeders who make tea cup ANYTHING (they constantly shake because they can't keep their core temperature high enough) and give money to your local humane society... They do incredible things.
What the f is wrong with you? Don't discourage anyone from rescuing an animal just because you "detected" smugness in my post. But I'll be clear here: I think you should punch yourself in your own face, you jackhole.
There is really no "best dog", it depends on what type of dog you are looking for. And why just have a pet? You can have a dog that doubles as a pet and a great running companion. For an example the vizsla is a great dog, very energetic, it can run a long tempo run with you, or a short and fast 5k, but will also lie down and rest with you if you want it to.
It depends. You need to provide more information.
For what reason do you want a dog? A watchdog? For hunting? For showing? For breeding? A running companion? Or just a pet for you and your family?
Do you have a wife and/or kids? Do they want a dog? Are they willing to commit to a dog? Any allergies in your family?
Where do you live geographically? What is the climate like? Arizona is way different than Minnesota.
What is your home like? Big house and big yard? Small house or apartment with little or no yard? Fenced yard?
What is your lifestyle like? Are you away quite a bit of the time? Will there be anyone home with the dog during the day? Do you travel a lot or like to get away for the weekend? Be aware that you need to make arrangements every time you go away.
Answer all of those and a particular type of dog might will probably become obvious.
If the size of the dog is no issue you cannot go wrong with a Golden Retriever. They are just good dogs!!!