It sounds like your problem is fairly severe at least at this moment which is why I wonder a little bit why you would want a dog like a Parson's terrier or Chi which require A LOT of socialization in my opinion. Especially if you are getting a puppy. You know yourself better than I could ever presume to, but you need to ask yourself if this is really the right choice. I mean you are saying "other than the anxiety" but that's a huge component.
That was a poor choice of words on my part. When mentioning the severity, I meant that as a reference to how far along I've come. I've also been working on my problem for years, and it is a special case where the anxiety is caused by another condition. That condition is very treatable and will eventually go away. My concern was mostly about the times where there are large groups of people, like in the dog park, when I'm most likely to have a lapse. Admittedly, I haven't ventured into the park, because I had no reason to before, but that's my first step ASAP. I'd like to see if it actually will be a problem at all. Animals do, for the most part, put me at ease, even ones I don't know, so having a big mix of people and pets can make a huge difference.
I know you know mixes are controversial on this board but one reason is there are very very few ethical mix breeders. So this mix puppy is coming to you with an untested background or rather the two parents may not be ideal specimens of their breed which means a higher chance of getitng a dog with temperment problems. With Chis especially being overbred as they are this is a risk you face.
I do realize this and have spoken with the woman about her parent dogs. She claims they are pure-bred and came from reputable breeders. I've asked her for contact info for those breeders and for others who have adopted her litters, and I'm still in the process of checking everything out. Obviously if something doesn't sit right, I'll cancel my agreement to adopt, as I still have until October before the litter is ready. Though she does have a clause that says she'll take her dogs back at any time at any age. I will, however, try talk to the other breeders to see what they think regarding their dogs in my situation.
Why the unpredictable mix anyway, what is it about them that appeals to you? What is it about each individual breed that appeals to you? I mean at the very least I would suggest picking one of those breeds and going through a reputable breeder if you are dead set on a puppy and those particular breeds.
I like the energy and exercise requirements of the JRT, which would be a great jogging companion for me. I also have a good amount of work for the hunter to do, as the cats have given up on the rodent problem entirely. Having cats at all can be a problem, but raising them from puppyhood with cats can help. While long jogs might not be a Chis cup of tea, having a dog to lounge around with is good too. I'm looking for a companion that's a good watchdog and will be loyal to me and wary of strangers (at least initially). I live in a neighborhood where it pays to be cautious, and having a dog that thinks that way is good for me. I also want a dog that needs a lot of time, attention, and affection, because I have an abundance of those to give. Both breeds have those things. They also can both have outgoing, fearless personalities, which, as Marsh Muppet mentioned, is a plus.
You just need to be aware of your own triggers and what triggers your dog to make sure you learn how to manage them. I think you can definitely still be a great dog owner though you just need to have a fair degree of self-awareness (as any dog owner should really).
I've actually been keeping a health journal for many years and part of it includes my triggers for anxiety. One of them is groups of people approaching me when I'm alone. In a dog park (as it only occurred to me earlier today, hence the creation of this topic), I'd only considered that there would be dogs, not people. But I will be testing the situation soon and seeing just what sort of reaction it causes. Having the dog with me would mean I'm not "alone" and the attention, including mine, would be on my cute furry friend, so it could end up not being an issue at all. I'd just like to be prepared in any case.
No problem. As you can see, I'm guilty of that too (in just about every post!)
