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OT: Buying a Dog

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I would definitely say to go with a rescue. We adopted our dog (my icon picture) when she was a bit over a year. GREAT dog, no complaints other than she is almost too affectionate (haha). She is a happy, funny, dog and is great with our son who is only about 2 months old.
 
Matt (Chicago) said:
I would definitely say to go with a rescue. We adopted our dog (my icon picture) when she was a bit over a year. GREAT dog, no complaints other than she is almost too affectionate (haha). She is a happy, funny, dog and is great with our son who is only about 2 months old.
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That mix is known for its advanced trickery skills and viciousness. She's just lulling you into a false sense of security so you leave her alone with your son.
 
We just adopted a rescue about a month and half ago. She is 4 months old and a total sweatheart. Though its been a while so I conveniently forgot about puppy behavior. ;)

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jleves said:
For the record - mutts will almost always be a better long term value than a purebred. Mixes tend to mask problems that a particular breed might have. For example, German Shepherd's have problems with hip dysplasia that cause lot's of problems and can cost lots of money later in their life. Mix a Shepherd with a dog not prone to dysplasia and you get a dog that is far healthier later in life. Almost all purebreds have some kid of issue from the constant inbreeding. If you want huge health bills, get a purebred.

Like many others have said, if you are not set on a specific breed, rescue something. Keep going to shelters until one picks you. You'll know when it happens and you'll never get a better dog.
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Couldn't agree more with this reply and I couldn't disagree more with 8893's reply (#19). While you certainly know what you're getting from a personality/behavior standpoint with a purebred, inbreeding has created well-documented health issues with most every breed. Rescue a dog, don't buy one. Save a life and don't support a nasty industry.

My 11 yo mutt came out of a litter of otherwise purebred siberians (same whore-bitch mom, different father :) ) and has never seen a vet for anything other than her yearly wellness visit. She still thinks she's a pup and people are amazed when I tell them her age.
 
Kitaman said:
I had a german shepard, loyal as hell but an acre is not enough for that type of dog. I'm interested too and am looking forward to the replies.

I think you should detail preferences: low or high maintenance and size. I know those are the two most important categories for me, as I'm looking for low maintenance and small to medium.
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Get a pug. They are low maintenance-funny as hell-great w/ kids
 
AtlHusky said:
Couldn't agree more with this reply and I couldn't disagree more with 8893's reply (#19). While you certainly know what you're getting from a personality/behavior standpoint with a purebred, inbreeding has created well-documented health issues with most every breed. Rescue a dog, don't buy one. Save a life and don't support a nasty industry.

My 11 yo mutt came out of a litter of otherwise purebred siberians (same whore-bitch mom, different father :) ) and has never seen a vet for anything other than her yearly wellness visit. She still thinks she's a pup and people are amazed when I tell them her age.
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Good on you for rescuing a pet. As I stated, we're on our fourth rescue. Not sure what you're disagreeing with in terms of my experiences. They happened. People with young kids or other situations that might not be suitable for the risks inherent in getting a dog of unknown origin should be aware. Yep, there's plenty of health risks in most purebreds, too, and there is a very nasty part of that industry. But you can do your homework and reduce both factors significantly. That's what we did.

Guy asked for input and that's what I gave, based on my experience. I didn't see the part where he asked to be lectured.
 
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Fishy said:
We had a golden retriever for a while. My father-in-law was playing fetch with it and the beast killed and ate him for literally no reason.

I, for sure, would not buy one of those killing machines.
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Yea but it couldn't pick off the mother-in-law! I like golden retrievers but don't get one with a red coat. Everyone likes the red coat of the Irish Setter but that dog is neurotic as hell. Labs are great. German Shepherds are loyal as hell but bred for the low slung look which results in severe hip dyplasia by age 6. They can become arthritic and cranky especially around kids. If you are protecting a stash of drugs the pit bull is your dog. Also your dog if you are having problems with your mother in law ort the neighbor kid. If you are a small dog person the Boston terrier, Jack Russell terrier and the King Charles Spaniel are all great dogs. The Jack Russell can be a bit nippy with kids.
 
Go small. I have had Pekes for 25 years and they are a great pets. I run with them and they love to chase deer and anything else. They are real smart, and I have never had a problem potty training. I had 2 that lived to 16 and have 2 more that are 4.
 
Okay, so who has the best dog? Obviously, some of you misguided souls think that you do,when of course, I do.

Did I clarify that my dog can catch soccer balls between her chin and 2 paws? She only drops them when she's about to hit the ground (a bit of a loss of commitment at that point).
 
8893 said:
Good on you for rescuing a pet. As I stated, we're on our fourth rescue. Not sure what you're disagreeing with in terms of my experiences. They happened. People with young kids or other situations that might not be suitable for the risks inherent in getting a dog of unknown origin should be aware. Yep, there's plenty of health risks in most purebreds, too, and there is a very nasty part of that industry. But you can do your homework and reduce both factors significantly. That's what we did.

Guy asked for input and that's what I gave, based on my experience. I didn't see the part where he asked to be lectured.
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I wasn't lecturing you, not sure why it was perceived that way. In fact, I was also relaying my experience. To be fair, I didn't disagree with your whole reply, just this part:

Here's a newsflash: people rarely abandon great, young dogs. There are a lot of great, old dogs available. You think you're spending a mint buying a pedigree? Try paying for animal health care. Think your kids got sad when they learned that mom and dad are Santa? Try consoling them when they learn of a dying/dead family pet.

 
Tommyboy said:
We just adopted a rescue about a month and half ago. She is 4 months old and a total sweatheart. Though its been a while so I conveniently forgot about puppy behavior. ;)

559425_3960583178852_809296_n.jpg
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Good looking animal. I'd guess Rottweiler/lab.

How's the house breaking going? Are you crate training? It's been more years than I care to admit since I last had a dog. The house breaking training is something that I'm not looking forward to.
 
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AtlHusky said:
I wasn't lecturing you, not sure why it was perceived that way. In fact, I was also relaying my experience. To be fair, I didn't disagree with your whole reply, just this part:

Here's a newsflash: people rarely abandon great, young dogs. There are a lot of great, old dogs available. You think you're spending a mint buying a pedigree? Try paying for animal health care. Think your kids got sad when they learned that mom and dad are Santa? Try consoling them when they learn of a dying/dead family pet.
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Fair enough. Here's where I thought you were being preachy:

Rescue a dog, don't buy one. Save a life and don't support a nasty industry.
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And it's not that I don't agree with and practice the sentiment myself; imo it just assumes and makes a blanket judgment that not rescuing a dog always means supporting a nasty industry. And all the rosy and honorable rescue talk--and I emphasize again that rescue is worthy of being praised--overlooks individual circumstances and also the need to be aware that there are some very real risks and issues with rescues that any responsible potential owner should consider before adopting. In other words, it's usually not as easy as going to your local shelter and seeing which dogs look like the ones you want to save.
 
Edward Sargent said:
If you are protecting a stash of drugs the pit bull is your dog. Also your dog if you are having problems with your mother in law ort the neighbor kid.
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Please let's not perpetuate this false stereotype. Pit bulls, if properly socialized, make wonderful family pets, just like any other dog. They're loyal, fun-loving and very affectionate. Just because they happened to get popular with es who aren't fit to be called humans, does not mean the dog itself is bad.

In terms of rescuing/buying, go with what you feel is best for you and your family. Just know that 1. there are plenty of full breeds at shelters and certainly through rescue groups if you don't want a mutt (I personally think they make the best pets, but that's just me), and 2. you can get a young dog from a rescue group that's already been house broken. Best of both worlds! Mine was 7 months old when I got her, and she was house trained, with all her shots and spayed. All for $350. And she's beyond awesome.

But please, please, whatever you do, do not buy a dog from a pet store. Please! Spend the extra cash and find a reputable breeder if you decide to purchase.

I'm off my soapbox now. :)
 
I think that is horse s***.

Dogs killed 31 people last year. Pit bulls killed 22 of them.

In six years, pit bulls have killed 128 people. Rotweilers have killed 29. Every other breed combined accounts for about 1/4th the total of those two breeds.

The 'if properly socialized, your dog won't attack you' argument is far too shaky to be reliable.
 
What's horse s*** is looking at the numbers in a vacuum.

What was at the other end of the leash? How many of those pit bulls that killed people were pets in normal homes with people that cared for them as members of the family rather than as an animal bought for status and looking like a "badass." You have to look at the total number of pits in the country, separated them into environments and then see how they compare to other dogs in that same environment. In other words, if the owner is a schmuck, he can turn a golden retriever into a violent attack dog. Just look at the idiot in Springfield whose poodle attacked the pit bull walking by on a leash. http://bostonherald.com/news/region...its_owner_in_trouble_after_attack_on_pit_bull

Thankfully pits have become the new "star" among rescue circles. In a decade or so, I predict they will have shed their violent reputation and be seen as normal dogs again. It wasn't too long ago that German Shepherds were canine-non-grata.

And just for hahas, a survey was done a few years ago (2009?) on which dog tends to bite the most. The winner? The dachshund!
 
Fishy said:
I think that is horse s***.

Dogs killed 31 people last year. Pit bulls killed 22 of them.

In six years, pit bulls have killed 128 people. Rotweilers have killed 29. Every other breed combined accounts for about 1/4th the total of those two breeds.

The 'if properly socialized, your dog won't attack you' argument is far too shaky to be reliable.
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Ever hear of a book called "The Lost Dogs?" It's a pretty eye opening read. I know you dedicate most of your time to posting on this board, but if you ever decide to break from that I'd suggest giving it a look... not only is it a great story it directly addresses alot of the stats and numbers that your mentioning here. Again, just a suggestion.
 
Over the years, you have an amazing record of the highest percentage of posts that reference in one way or another. No one is even remotely close.....a true champion.


Do I get a trophy???

Just being helpful. Gotta look at the details.

There's a little old lady in the neighborhood who has 2 great danes. I think one of them is running at Belmont on Sat. We walks them every (?) night. She carries a mega heavy-duty plastic bag, and shovel. She must have concluded the bag and contents were wearing her out as she now pulls a wagon behind her during the rounds. I'm now waiting to see the 2 dogs pulling the wagon with her in it along with the bag and shovel.

That could be you.
 
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Matt (Chicago) said:
Ever hear of a book called "The Lost Dogs?" It's a pretty eye opening read. I know you dedicate most of your time to posting on this board, but if you ever decide to break from that I'd suggest giving it a look... not only is it a great story it directly addresses alot of the stats and numbers that your mentioning here. Again, just a suggestion.
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First, duck* off.

Second, I read it. Great book, but so what? Read "Fanatic; 10 Things All Sports Fans...." - it's another great book by Gorant.

Third, if a dog kills you, there is a 75% chance that it was a pit bull or a rottweiler that was responsible. I guess you could try to defend yourself with a copy of the book, but past that, lots of luck. It'd probably save you from the dachshund* though.

* Responsible for a single death in the past 20 years...I hope someone writes a book to brush that stain off the breeds' good name.
 
There are what, 5-6 million pitties in the country? If the problem was with the actual breed rather than the owners, don't you think there would be more than 22 fatalities?

Nurture, not nature.
 
Rescue dog testimony:
In the late 90's, when my wife decided to start screwing another man and I ended up single, self employed and raising two little girls, I decided to get a dog.

Search after search on Petfinder.com brought me to Millie, 2 year old greyhound/shepherd/lab mix. Described as "best dog ever". Twelve years later, my 14 year old soulmate has been the greatest friend and companion anyone could hope for.

I highly recommend finding a local shelter and rescuing a dog. Petfinder will provide you with all the info you need re: size, age, breed and personality.
IMG_1978a.JPG
 
k9fanatic said:
Please let's not perpetuate this false stereotype. Pit bulls, if properly socialized, make wonderful family pets, just like any other dog. They're loyal, fun-loving and very affectionate. Just because they happened to get popular with Replicantes who aren't fit to be called humans, does not mean the dog itself is bad.

In terms of rescuing/buying, go with what you feel is best for you and your family. Just know that 1. there are plenty of full breeds at shelters and certainly through rescue groups if you don't want a mutt (I personally think they make the best pets, but that's just me), and 2. you can get a young dog from a rescue group that's already been house broken. Best of both worlds! Mine was 7 months old when I got her, and she was house trained, with all her shots and spayed. All for $350. And she's beyond awesome.

But please, please, whatever you do, do not buy a dog from a pet store. Please! Spend the extra cash and find a reputable breeder if you decide to purchase.

I'm off my soapbox now. :)
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Thats what all dog owners say. Fluffy never did that before. One reason for a pit bull - drugs. One ate a 3 day old child in Columbus OH just last week. Ooops my bad. Certain breeds are bred for certain things. Pit bulls are bred for pit fighting with other dogs. You might have a wonderful kind loving dog I agree, but the statistics warrant concern. Go ahead and put one in your house. I don't know you and could care less. Just don't come whining back on the Boneyard looking for sympathy when your kid gets eaten.
 
CL82 said:
Good looking animal. I'd guess Rottweiler/lab.

How's the house breaking going? Are you crate training? It's been more years than I care to admit since I last had a dog. The house breaking training is something that I'm not looking forward to.
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Thats exactly what they thought she was at the rescue group: rotty/lab.

She came basically crate trained and only has had sporadic accidents the first couple weeks we got her. And even then it was more us misreading her signals. The main issue with her is her playful and testing nipping/biting that we are trying to curb. Other than that a great puppy.
 
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If pit bulls had snorkels, the oceans would be emptied of life inside of six months.
 
mets1090 said:
For the win...
Mastiff_Tigger.JPG


English Mastiff.
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We bought a female mastiff a few months ago and she's been great. Probably the best puppy we've had so far (not that the others were terrible, but the mastiff hasn't permanently damaged any furniture or anything like that).
 
StoweD210 said:
We bought a female mastiff a few months ago and she's been great. Probably the best puppy we've had so far (not that the others were terrible, but the mastiff hasn't permanently damaged any furniture or anything like that).
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My family rescued one a few years ago. 180 pounds or so and by far the gentlest dog I've ever come across.
 
mets1090 said:
My family rescued one a few years ago. 180 pounds or so and by far the gentlest dog I've ever come across.
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We've got a lab, I researched a lot and got her from a private breeder for not a lot of money 8yrs ago (about $700 I think, healthy dog) I think finding the best fit for your family is most important. I've got young children and no risks acceptable nor time for special care. I watch two guys in my neighborhood taking their little 15lb dogs for walks each AM while I play ball with my labrador and that choice is better for me (I can still watch/hear kids), those guys might like walks. When we moved in family across the street dog sat for us, loved it got a rescue dog. Its a very skiddish chow mix and its fought & bit at least 3 other dogs in neighborhood including mine. Everyone walking in the neighborhood crosses the street when passing their house and the dog still barks & stands ready to fight at everything passing. That risk is unacceptable for me.
 
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