What breed of dog should i get?
I travel once or twice a month, driving about 2 1/2 hours at a time with rest stops in between. I have an older, established cat that is kind of grumpy, so maybe a dog that doesnt have much interest in cats. I was thinking a small dog because of those circumstances… Also what is a dog that doesnt shed a ton?
I have other questions too. On one side of my house, there is a very intimidating dog that barks, pushes up against the fence etc. and my stepdad is afraid that if we get a dog, it would be scared of that dog, so how can I reassure him or deal with that?
Also, my family isn’t totally well off, so is there anything we can do so that when we get a vet bill, we make sure we can take care of us too? What is pet insurance? And does it work/ What does it cover?
Plus, my stepdad is worried about the grass getting ruined, so we were going to make like a "run" (is what he called it) on the side of the house, so what should we put back there?
What do you think?
Thank you 
Filed under: Pet Health Insurance
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Go to your local library or bookstore. There are books that rate various dogs on various qualities. How good is the dog with children? How good is the dog at hunting? How good is the dog at being a guard dog? How good is the dog at being a watchdog (different from a guard dog – I didn’t know that before I saw one of these books). How bad does this dog Shed?
They list different breeds and rate them, and then have some general comments. I had a sheltie, and I looked over one of these books (after I got him), and it was right on the money! Great with kids. Very smart. Likes to steal food, however (didn’t I just leave a sandwich on that coffee table?). Excellent watchdog, lousy guard dog. A watch dog will come get you if there is trouble – a guard dog will jump in and take care of the trouble. Shelties are sheep herding dogs. You can’t go to sleep util the sheep do. When our dog was tired, he would try to "hurd" us to the bedroom.
People can tell you what kind of dog they like, but you need to find what kind of dog suits you.
As for the dog run, dog urine is very acidic. Now I had a male sheltie, and he kind of went "wherever" and this was not a problem. A few years later, we got a female, and she had her favorite spots – she always went in the same area. Totally killed the grass there. A run is simply a cage with some room to run back and forth. The grass in the run will probably die, but the point is kind of to have a space where you don’t care if that happens – you can limit the damage to that one area.
Dogs will either get along, or won’t. They may need to establish a pecking order. If the neighbor’s dog does get into your yard (or vice versa), they may fight. Maybe they will get it out of their systems and determine who’s boss? Maybe one of them will get injured or killed? Usually it doesn’t come to that, so usually it’s best not to interfere unless it is getting serious (oh, I’m sure I’ll get many disagreements here – I am not espousing dog fighting, but in my opinion, if you let them estabish who is the alpha dog, they get along much better after that – if you separate them you just prolong the enevitable). If they are separated by a fence, that may never happen. They may continue to bark at each other – all the time. I’ve had some neighbors with some pretty yappy dogs, and every dog I have ever had (or babysat), has pretty much ignored them and did not respond in kind. Of course, if one dog is male and the other is female and they get through the fence – hope you either spade or neutered or have plans for the puppies.
sheltie or a miniature horse
Always go for the Boston Terrier, they’re mostly indoor animals that love to play and love on you!!!! They generally don’t have health problems and they almost never shed and when they do they have short hair so a vacuum handily takes care of it!
http://www.gotpetsonline.com/pictures/gallery/dogs/alphabetically/boston-terriers/boston-terrier-0543/
http://www.gotpetsonline.com/pictures/gallery/dogs/alphabetically/boston-terriers/boston-terrier-0542/
A beagle.
huskie.
miniature dachshaund!
mini aussie!
or a maltese (hypo-alergenic)
havanese there the best for more info go online u would love them
You should get a yorkie because mine is very good with my cat.
corgi
a beagle would be perfect
Yeah, I was gonna say Boston Terrier. They can adapt to any situation and they have strong character. They do shed, though, but not really badly.
english bulldog…they can be expansive though..our bully loves to ride around in the car and he is a great temper if you are planning on permently keeping th dog out side thought i would not suggest it they can get cold and hot easily? Also try a mutt from the shelter they have tons of dogs im sure that would fit your criteria. try pet finder.com
a poodle thay are relly nice and calm thy come in 3 size toy miniture and standered i have a miniture
French Bulldog, Corgi, Lab Retriever, Toy Poodle, Miniature Schnauzer, and a Vizsla.
These are all low maintenance, easy to train, calm temperment pets.
Although if you’re travelling you might consider not getting a dog. No matter what breed of dog as a baby they are practically as needy as a human baby. At that stage in their life they need a lot of consistency and attention.
Well, I’ll describe my gorgeous dogs:
My Samoyed, Quigley:
Quigley is a gorgeous Samoyed. Samoyeds do shed, but they are amazing family or one person dogs. They are incredibly sweet but also really pretty. here is the site I got my dog from. She is a great breeder.
http://www.whitemagicsamoyeds.com/
Heidi, my Shetland Sheepdog:
Shelties are truly amazing dogs. They are beatiful and always colorful. They are kind of like miniature Collies. I love her!
Here’s a Sheltie breeder:
http://www.canamishelties.com/
Aren’t they pretty!
AND WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T BUY DOGS FROM A PET STORE! THERE IS A HUGE CHANCE THEY ARE FROM PUPPY MILLS, WHICH ARE HORRIBLE PLACES WHERE THEY RAISE PUPPIES! DON’T BUY FROM PET STORES!!!
My first piece of advice for you is to go to a shelter and find a dog/puppy there. Do NOT buy from a store or a breeder. Pet store puppies come from places called puppy mills. If you are unaware what that is please do your research, go google puppy mills. Youll be horrified at the true cost of that pet shop puppy. Feel free to email me regarding this too. I can give you all of the facts about them. You can also see my myspace page at myspace.com/helpusroar For every person who learns about this horror, there is one more shelter dog saved. MOST pet stores sell puppy mills puppies. The puppies come in with infections, diseases and problems you will have to deal with for the rest of their lives, spending thousands of dollars on vet bills and such. Alot of the time they dont make it past 6 months old. Is that worth keeping a puppy mill in business..NO!
Secondly, I think you should maybe just see a few of the small breeds and see which you like better. Go to the shelter and tell them that you are looking for a small dog/puppy and you want to see what they have. Meet with each of the pups and see which one chooses YOU. You will definitely know which one that is.
And remember:
Don’t Shop!! Adopt!!!
I have two Westies (West Highland White Terrier). It is a small dog that doesn’t shed to much(I have allergies and it doesn’t bother me). The people who live behind us have two Newfoundlands that bark all the time but it doesn’t bother my dogs at all. As to the idea about the run, I think thats a great idea. Trust me though, make sure you pick up their poop.
Honestly if you cant affored vet care I would say wait a few years until you can affored a dog. Pet insuarence is really just a waste of money. They dont cover everything. Spays and neuters costs alot. Plus a accident costs alot as well. My dog has cost me over 1000 dollers in the last month when he has a freak accident and literally chopped of part of his tail in a window. accidents happen. I would wait a few yearsuntil you can affored to take care of a dog properly.
A Poodle’s the smartest choice in any worried situations. Hope this helps!!
not fair for u to get a dog they need attention all the time
I own Chihuahuas’, small breed, med temperment, low cost on food, not large feces (small) and the urine does not discolor the grass. Vet bills are at the low end, but do follow the guidelines the Vet tells regarding shots, it will help w/not having future illiness. Good Luck to your new family member.
Remember to have plenty of patience during the puppy period.
sorry for typos which i always have xD–>
good luck and hope you find the perfect little guy or girl to go along with you.
it looks like a lot of people are just saying breeds {all the ones before i clciked answer though..maybe there are real suggestions now..} but i would say a poodle.
Poodles don’t shed from my knowledge. they come in Standard poodle, Miniature poodle, and toy poodle. Toy poodle may fit your lifestyle better. i have 2 chihuahuas and 2 rescue dogs a pug/rat terrier and a gorgeuous sheltie chow, and they all get along. bbUton of my chihuahuas usually runs off from the chow kix but has gotten into scrawlsover food before, nothing like deep bike marks just little ‘get aay type things’ my other chihuahu csitters off whenever he sees the chow mix and i havn’t had and ylittle scrawly between any other times except the one i explained. My chow mix is gentle. xD so i’m not sure how the poodle would react to the neighbor dog, but if it secured, things should be semi-ok? i’ve never had the experience because i live in a country are with lots of land and niether neighbors i have have dogs and i only have 2 neighbors…there are no others. xD
Some people find podles ugly but once poeple see them they loosen up because dogs are always cute no matter what age. they come in basic all one color coat colors or parti colors. {blk/white, brwn/white, ect.} They don’t all have the trim you see professional shows, thats just how their cut and peole who have them as pets commoly let them be little fluff balls. but you should pay attenton to their fur and get it trimmed up every once in a while and also be wary of who you buy one from if you do choose a poodle, do a background check. If your buying froma shelter for just a companion, thats great too.
by the way, poodles don’t lie up to the "mean" stereotype people give them. xD
I do’t know about grass problems! i’m guessing a toy or mini poodle have small feces/urine. i own chihuahus but i have a large land area so i never notice nor care what my grass does. i alwso live next to many acres of woods where thy go at the edge a lot.
oh and vet bills- when you buy a dog {not breed yourself or not froma puppy mill} it already has it’s shots, but needs checkups, too. Sometimes the breeders can’t give them a shot before you buy it because they must be a certain age. dogs can’t even be spayed/nuetered ntil 6 months, too. shelters spay, nueter, check up, and give dogs shots befor they leave. Dogs need checkups atleast twice a year and as others said accidents may/will happen.
I would recommend a Bichon Frise. They are a small dog, and they a non-moulting breed. I have one myself and she is adorable. She was really easy to train as a puppy, and is very affectionate as well. The only down side is because she is non-moulting she has to have her hair cut regularly, because she is like a furry teddy bear. So grooming is essential with this breed.
Also pet insurance is the same as any other insurance really, and will cover your pets vet bills as and when needed.
get a yorkie because theyre small and adorable
I would go to petfinder.com or your local shelter and look for a dog that is one to two years old. Then your parents don’t have to go through the whole puppy thing. A dog run that has pea gravel in it is an excellent choice. That will help with the aggressive neighbor dog and keep your dog safe. Instead of pet insurance, put a little money away every month for vet visits.
Hope this helps!
most dogs do not ruin the grass and I think a mild tempered cocker spaniel would be good 4 u they r great w/ families and love to cuddle if u plan to adopt then try petfinder.com
rat terrier, they’re so cute. don’t shed alot. love people. small.
get a pomeranian. they are easy to travel with (mine is only 6lbs. ) and are sooooo loving
i agree wit lolo T: go 4 the Boston Terrier! as far as pet insurance ur best bet is Pet Assure http://www.petassure.com iv been wit them 4 a while & its really simple & has saved me alot of $$ & time! u go 2 the vet and show them ur P.A card they take 25% off your bill that way ur not busy filing claims l8r it really saved me a TON of money! plus theyll pay 4 everything like shots,surgery & procedures!