What to look for in a first dog?

Uronoro · 09-24-2008, 03:41 PM

I'm calling this my first dog because, even though while growing up my family has owned two dogs, I personally didn't have full responsibility of them because I was still a child. So I suppose I know how to handle myself around dogs, but not to the extent that all the care is on my shoulders.

I'll be out of college in about 2-3 years, and I'm really considering getting my own dog around that time. This will be a dog I will have full responsibility over, so I want to make sure I'm getting my facts straight before I run out and get myself into a mess.

So I have a few questions:

Where should I look for a new dog?

I've heard horror stories about puppy mills, so I've limited my choices to either rescue shelters or breeders that I've looked into. I've heard the pros of getting a dog/puppy from a reputable breeder, how you'll probably get a more healthier and socialized/stable dog (depending on how they breed and handle their puppies), but my heart always goes out to shelter dogs, who, even though it's a little foggy about the dog's health and temperament, are dogs who really need a home. Should a first-time dog owner favor one of these places over the other? Pros and Cons for each?

Purebred or Mix-Breed?

I'll admit I have been setting my eyes on the German Shepherd Dog. But after my family owning both a Mix-Breed and a Purebred I do have to agree that it seems Purebreds seem more prone to health conditions, and that usually Mix-Breed dogs are more hardy (genetic variety maybe?). After reading up on a few breeder's sites I've noticed that some breeders know of the common ailments of their purebred dogs, and try their best to not encourage traits that would lead to these ailments. Any opinions of the pros/cons of Purebred vs. a Mix-Breed?

Puppy or Adult?
I'm in the same boat with most other people who will melt at an encounter with a puppy, but I'm aware of how much extra care puppies require vs. an adult dog. And I suppose what I'm really looking for is an adult dog, but I figure that if I do end up with a puppy in my hands that, naturally, he/she will grow up. The pros are, I suppose, is that you will know that dog inside and out since you are with it while it is growing up in it's first year. But I also know that puppies require a lot of socializing, attention, and training for it to grow into a nice healthy happy dog. Should a first time dog owner consider a puppy or a dog that has already grown?

Thanks for all your opinions, I really appreciate it.

harrise · 09-24-2008, 04:10 PM

I said this a while back. It still applies. Yet, I will always adopt and rescue full grown dogs. So I am biased that way...

Quote:

My search for the third Malamute in my life was full of dissapointment and aggrevation. Over the course of six weeks, we visited shelters, and contacted rescue groups specializing in the breed. The rescue was an awful, and I hope isolated experience. I would have understood if they had said none of their dogs currently for adoption match my needs, but their stance was Malamutes CANNOT live with cats, and males don't get along with other working breed males. Say what? I knew we would end up with a Saint as well, and through all of our encounters this was mentioned. So without properly doing research, we set out and started meeting dogs listed on craigslist. When the wife went to meet Sioux for the first time, he was chained to a kitchen counter, in a house with a yard the size of a garage, couch parts everywhere, and free please take him away. He had been sheltered once and adopted once before returning a third time to that house. So she brought him home. Thankfully at ten months he looked spot on for the breed, and his temperment was classic sled dog. Two weeks later when we met Bubba we were ready. There had been several dogs with hip problems that were obvious but not mentioned, and dogs that would cower when touched. After three dogs obtained through internet listings I have a somewhat partial list of things I do. This is also from someone who had dogs and didn't need to assess my motives as unrealistic. In no particular order:

1. Know how to read a pedigree.
I was a bit discriminating in this because I wanted pure bred dogs. Orthopedic certificates are listed there as well.

2. Talk and interview the owner before paying much attention to the dog.
These people probably won't let you rummage around the whole house, but be observant. A dog in a home that looks like an Ethan Allen catalogue is probably not in the right place. Conversely a dog in a frat type environment with pizza boxes, beer cans, and clothes strewn about is probably not in the right place either.

3. Go to shelters, and ask local vets about hip problems and how they assess them.
This part is a little heart wrenching, but if you get a chance to walk with a few dogs that have been diagnosed with issues, you will have an idea what to look for in gait and endurance.

4. Know the breed standard. (If that's what you're after)
When researching the breed, many common problems are listed ad naseum.

5. Take the dog for a walk.
By that I mean a REAL walk, like 30-45 minutes minimum. A dog that is eager, excited, and not looking/pulling back is what I'm looking for. To me it signals they don't walk him, and the relationship will build quickly.

5a. Take a break alone with the dog in a spot away from the immediate neighborhood.
By this point I'm assuming the dog is not overly aggressive, or you would be on your way to the next one. This is where the dog interview comes in. Testing how sensitive he is to petting, grabbing, and grooming. I inspect the ears, feel the feet, lift the jowels, rub the hips and stomach, things that will be common place.

6. Learn the concepts and principles of operant conditioning, and classical conditioning.
I had no clue at the time that I was desensitizing my dogs, and changing their conditioned response. Food guarding was something they all did, and as I was weening them off their previous diet, I would add the new stuff by hand while they were eating. By the time they were on the new diet, feeding aggression had ceased. Now after a Jean Donaldson book, I realize what was going on. Thank doG I ended up doing it correctly, I just wish I had known it at the time. These two basics of behavior are a must know in my opinion.

7. Negotiate. (If you're the type that doesn't mind getting a little antagonistic)
Sioux was free, Bubba was $150 down to $50, and Coco was $150 down to $50. I don't accept the charging of a rehoming fee as a likely path to a good home. Mainly because I spend too much on the dogs as it is. I also carried proof of the thousands spent the last year of Lakota's life. Even if they have vet records and a recent exam, I will still take the dog to my vet for a complete once over and introduction. Things like changing ownership info with the microchip company, additional vaccinations, heartgard, double checking cysts to know they are sebacious, all cost money that I don't think should go to the previous owner. I offered to send copies of receipts as proof of my commitment, and no one wanted them, go figure.

8. Find out if any training had been done, and if so, with whom?
Coco had been to a trainer that said she shouldn't be in a muli-dog house. I took Sioux with us because this guy just couldn't find someone he would let her go to. They were introduced, no problems, he came to OUR house, met the rest of the pack, and left her here. Upon further internet research, I found this trainer's name in a few forums that consistently rated him negatively. Grain of salt.

9. Understand that complete integration will take time.
As I've mentioned in a few other threads, I lost two couches, a chair, blankets, area rugs, and countless times the trash was scattered about the house. I had these guys over a year before I started actually training them. Now I have a pack of dogs that are nearly ready for a Canine Good Citizen test. The house is complete.

Just a few things to consider, and I'm sure there's a lot more to have in mind when finding your dog. I feel that these few items will help in identifying a "good" dog (sans the negotiating of course). Because, obviously these folks didn't ask the proper questions the first time, and asking them those questions is pointless. Although I was told hundreds of times to get rid of Sioux, those same people now come around saying "He's so well behaved! This is the couch dog? I would've taken him to the pound and never seen how good he could've been."

Final thought: PATIENCE. That's my magic ingredient.

briteday · 09-24-2008, 07:29 PM

I'm not sure that getting a dog right out of school is a good idea. Your life is bound to be filled with an active social schedule, relocating for a job, long hours at work establishing a career, can be difficult at times to pay the bills without another mouth to feed early on in a career, and finding a place to live that accepts pets.

Where? shelters

Purebred or mixed? doesn't matter

Puppy or adult? adult

Layladog · 09-25-2008, 01:47 AM

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Read some books/articles on temperament testing. There are a few things you can do to help you get an idea of what a dog is like, and there's a lot of info out there on how to do this.

Know what you are looking for and what kind of dog will fit your lifestyle. I'm an active person but I live in an apartment, and I don't like small dogs. Thus, I wanted a dog that could go for a run with me but not go bonkers in my apartment during the day. I also wanted something that responded well to people and was not too independent since that makes training more difficult. That's why I passed on a very nice shar-pei mix puppy that I looked at before I found my dog

You can evaluate these tendencies in a puppy or dog if you know what to look for.

I knew I had found the right dog when I met mine because of her responses to her environment - she was happy to stretch her legs but not running around like a maniac, enjoyed checking out the yard but was a little more interested in being petted or hanging out with people, was curious about noises, small animals, etc. but not fearful or in any way aggressive. This has all been borne out as I live with her and train her: she's happy going for walks with me or being a couch potato, she comes readily when called because she prefers being with people to anything else, and she does well in the city because she is not fearful of new situations.

PUPPY/ADULT
I'm IN school and got a puppy two months ago. If you know your budget and schedule and are committed to the dog, you will be fine. I'm home most of the day though, and I think it would be harder if I weren't. I'd have to hire a dog walker, which means I'd have to be able to afford that. Just a thought when considering puppy vs. adult. A dog that was already housebroken would be able to deal with a full time work schedule much better than a puppy.

BREED
Unfortunately GSD's in the US are a disaster as far as health problems. I personally don't think I could go for a purebred - I chose a GSD mix from a shelter instead and she has been wonderful so far. Be very very careful if you opt for a purebred GSD.

The major pro with a purebred is consistency. You know how big the dog will be and what its temperament is likely to be. Health problems are the major con. It's the reverse with mixed breeds - they often have better overall health but they can be a surprise when it comes to eventual size and temperament.

Even with mixed breeds and shelter dogs it is possible to find just what you are looking for if you know how to evaluate the dog. Some trainers will even do this for you for a small fee if you are not confident about doing it yourself.

lizalots · 09-25-2008, 03:47 AM

There are a lot of German shepherd rescue groups out there with beautiful dogs - both pure and mixed GSDs. I also see purebred shepherds through our shelter ALL of the time! To think how much money people pay to have these beautiful dogs and then to give them up because they weren’t what they expected!

I got one of my GSDs from a breeder and one from the animal shelter. The funny thing is, the GSD from the shelter actually is more to breed standard than is my papered GSD. And he was a fortune less expensive!

The one from the breeder I've had since she was 12 weeks old, so I know every personality trait she has and what to expect from her. That was a huge advantage in getting a puppy. I was able to mold her world from a very young age. And the puppy stages with her weren't that bad. I've heard a lot worse! But I spent a lot of time with her and there was someone always home with her.

My GSD that I adopted from the shelter has had a few behavioral issues, but I think that goes for a lot of rescued dogs that need to relearn trust in humans. I also don’t know his background or his family history, so there was a little more risk in what his temperament would be like and what type of health issues I may face in the future. However, in good health or in bad, I am willing to take responsibility emotionally and financially for whatever we may encounter with him.

Another note, I adopted Sierra just as I was finishing grad school. It was my present for being done with school, and I think that if you can afford the time, then go for it. Everyone told me I was crazy for getting a puppy when I was trying to study and finish up, but she truly helped me get through it. But for me, I would have never considered giving her up, no matter what situation I ran into. I could have moved across the country and I would have brought her with me. So if you can see any reason not to keep the dog you adopt because of job changing, moving, relationships, etc… then maybe I’d wait.