What type of dog should I get?

[Adam loves Hilary Duff]

Well as my current dogs are almost at their age maximum.....
We are thinking about getting a new dog in the spring.
But we don't know what kind.
We don't want one that sheds its fur alot and we are possibly looking for a indoor dog.
My mom wants to get a teacup poodle or a cockerspaniel. (SP?)

[Bangel]

I was going to suggest a cocker spaniel before even reading the inside of this topic. They are very gentle dogs in most occasions when they are handled correctly and are very good companions.

[momo]

Hmm if you want little hair, long hair is no option then. My favourite dogs are beagles. But they are hard to train and they need exercise so I doubt that would work for you either. Actually poodles, as dumb as they may look are really good dogs. They don't shed much, are very friendly and calm and are the right size. Cockerspaniels are also very cute, but I personally like King Charles Spaniel better. They are sooo cute.

To get a better picture you could also search http://www.dogster.com. They have all dogs kinds there I think and you can get kind of an idea what each one is like because owners write about what they do and stuff

EDIT: I forgot to add that it always the best to check your local animal shelter first because sometimes you just find one there that needs a home and you love him right away.

[Adam loves Hilary Duff]

I'm in love!

[momo]

Ow! he's sooo cute!!

[Rachiroo]

Oooh, ooh! Unless your mom is totally against grooming of the pet, miniature schnauzers are the best! Such wonderful dogs, I'm obsessed.

[Adam loves Hilary Duff]

Oooh, ooh! Unless your mom is totally against grooming of the pet, miniature schnauzers are the best! Such wonderful dogs, I'm obsessed.

I want one but my mom is like that.

[Rachiroo]

Oooh, ooh! Unless your mom is totally against grooming of the pet, miniature schnauzers are the best! Such wonderful dogs, I'm obsessed.

I want one but my mom is like that.

Aw, that's too bad. We get ours professionally groomed about once every 2 months. He gets kind of shaggy, but looks great that way, too. Miniature schnauzers don't need to be groomed, it's only an option for people who want to.
Our other dog is a papillon, in my opinion the second best dog there is, haha. They have such vibrant personalities!
And are so cute

[Shifty]

I recomend the Westie (West Highland White Terrier). Its a fairly small dog, very cute, obedient, and from what i'v read, does not shed (Although this FAQ kinda says otherwise).



Also, i'm not sure if you planned this or not, but you should get your dog from an animal shelter/pound. They are cheaper (or free), and they are more likly to be healthier then store pets.

[shapu]

I recommend a mutt myself, since they're generally much healthier than purebreds...very rarely do mutts get breed-related diseases.

Keep away from the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels...they're cute, and pretty bright, but about half of them suffer from serious heart problems.


If you have a LOT of time to spend with this dog (and I mean a LOT), you might consider an Australian Shepherd or Border Collie, as they make pretty good pets. They're both incredibly intelligent dogs, though, and that's where the time commitment comes in. You're going to have to spend a lot of time with either of those two dogs doing really interesting stuff, and some outdoorsy stuff as well. With those dogs, you can teach them pretty complex tasks, and it's a good idea to do just that, because otherwise they'll get bored. If you plan on taking the dog into the woods, you might consider the Aussie Shepherd. You might want to give his or her fur a bit of a trim first, though.


If this is your first dog, keep away from labradors - they're puppies until they're five. And while it's cute, they'll destroy everything you own, because they're so excitable. They make good hunting dogs, though, since they're retrievers.


Cockers are nice, but they have a tendency to piddle on the floor, as well as a high propensity for ear infections and a resultant ossification of the ear canal, which will make them deaf if untreated.


Shih Tzus are also pretty bright lap dogs, and they don't shed much, but their hair requires a lot of work. As they age, they'll have some joint problems, and arthritis is not uncommon. Really sweet, though - when my grandmother's shih tzu died, she was devastated.


Pugs are energetic, so they'll do that heavy snotty breathing thing when they're excited. If you can deal with that, they're wonderfully sweet dogs, pretty smart for something with a brain the size of a coffee bean, and a lot of fun. And shorthaired.


Good luck.

[jellyoflight]

Golden Retrievers are supposed to be quite good dogs...

[hyperflutterby]

Adding to what Shapu said about border collies, they are really wonderful dogs. They are some of the most inteligent ones, but you really do need to invest a great deal of time into them. We got a border collie puppy about 9 months ago, she is wonderful but she needs a lot of supervision. She needs to be crated if we leave the house because she will chew anything she finds to pieces. She needs a great deal of exercise. During the summer I would take her out into the yard and chuck a tennisball as far as I could for anywhere between a 1/2 hour to an hour just so she could get some exercise. (btw I am a huge fan of the chuck-it, it has prevented my arm from being dislocated from the repeated throwing) A border collie will run and run and run until they simply collapse, and if they don't do that at least once, if not twice a day, you will have big problems with them behaviorally. If you want a dog to invest time into and reap huge rewards (a well trained border collie can do the most amazing things) you might want one of these.

[Nani]

Poodle poodle poodle.
I'm probably getting a dog to (hopefully it'll get alog with my cats alright), and I really want a poodle. Of course my dad says they're girly-dogs so we can't get one. But they're generallt very gentle and smart, and don't shed.

[shapu]

Poodles are, believe it or not, a historically German breed, not french. They're only girly if you do that hideous shaving-and-puffballs thing.

[Kitten Medli]

If you have a LOT of time to spend with this dog (and I mean a LOT), you might consider an Australian Shepherd or Border Collie, as they make pretty good pets. They're both incredibly intelligent dogs, though, and that's where the time commitment comes in. You're going to have to spend a lot of time with either of those two dogs doing really interesting stuff, and some outdoorsy stuff as well. With those dogs, you can teach them pretty complex tasks, and it's a good idea to do just that, because otherwise they'll get bored. If you plan on taking the dog into the woods, you might consider the Aussie Shepherd. You might want to give his or her fur a bit of a trim first, though.

Oh, yes, yes, just my reccomendation! On the other hand, my dog is a mix of the two and he is almost nothing like them, aside from appearance. He loves to lay around and be lazy.

I like mutts, myself, too. Both of our dogs have been mixes, and they are both kind natured and loving, but still protective when they feel the need.

EDIT: Poodles are super cute if you leave their hair alone. A relative just got one a few days ago and he is so cute.. plus very loving and friendly!

Last edited by Kitten Medli on Tue Nov 16, 2004 10:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.