I thought I would quickly interrupt my blogging break to pose a question to the general public. We are currently in the market for a dog. The "what kind should we get?" debate takes up just about every conversation Brian and I have lately. So, I decided to ask all of my trustworthy readers instead. I know this will potentially open a giant can of worms, so let me lay a few ground rules first:
1. Don't tell us to get a cat instead.
2. Don't tell us to get anything smaller than a cocker spaniel (Brian actually wants a mastiff, which can weigh up to 250 lbs).
3. We are searching for a rescue dog at all the humane societies in our area, so a full-bred anything is pretty much out of the question.
4. It has to be cute. And smart. And obedient. And, oh yeah, good with kids.
And, I know, most of you will say "Get a lab!" And, yes, we love labs. They meet all of our doggy criteria but we also want to check out other options as well. There are some really cute mutts out there who need good homes.
A story to go with this post: We explained to Lauren about the humane society and why choosing pets from there is important to us. And, yes, we even talked about what happens to dogs who don't get adopted. She told us that rescuing a dog from being "put down" would make us heroes. And every day she asks if we have found our dog yet. We are currently dog-sitting my in-law's dog, who also happens to be a rescue. Lauren dubbed her grandpa a "Hero" on the spot and she seems to love his dog even more now that she knows the fate that was awaiting her.
So, did you grow up with a dog? Are you a current dog owner? What are your favorite dogs to love?
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14 comments:
So we have two dogs both from Shelters. Our first one is a Lab mix. She is awesome. Vilate actually bites her and pinches. She has never bite or even growled at her. Our other shelter dog is (we have no idea what kind of mix) she however is also great with kids but a little brain dead due to how they found her. Anyways SHELTER IS THE WAY. If you can get a puppy that is better then they don't have any issues.
Sorry. No dog/pet lovers here. I'm hopeful my kids won't ever come to me with the "Can we please....." look. I really hate breaking their hearts. In my opinion, it's just another thing to take care of and I really don't want that. Maybe a fish one day.That's right...I said MAYBE. Good luck with the search. Can't wait to hear what you choose.
Suz, You are a good woman! As a child I never understood why it took like 10 years of begging my mom for a dog... now I get it! ;) We had a golden retriever growing up, which I think are great with kids, maybe a little too energetic for my liking but Great dog! That's all the advice I can give you, but I just had to comment to tell you what a good mom those kids have (mine won't be so lucky).
OH and I have to know... is this going to be an inside dog? I REALLY can't picture MISS queen of clean having an inside dog.
we had two greyhounds and absolutely LOVED them. my husband is so not a dog person, but gave in shortly after we were married. i couldn't convince him to keep the dogs and the children, so we had to choose. greyhounds often have a worse fate than shelter dogs. they aren't put down, they are left to fend for themselves in the desert or dumpster...so sad! i don't know if you have a rescue place in idaho, but both of ours were retired racers and definitely the way to go- but not quite as big as a mastiff. they also do better in pairs since they stay with their 'families' for so long and then are around others as they are racing. kind of a draw back, but we loved having two.
Many years ago, our daughter wanted a dog. She promised to feed and bathe the dog, and do everything to take care of the dog. That lasted about a month, and then my wife did everything to take care of this beautiful cocker Spaniel (assisted somewhat by our daughter) . Then our daughter grew up and went to college, and of course couldn't take the dog with her. So be sure to get a dog that you and your husband are willing to take care of and clean up after.
But, a golden retriever or a chocolate lab sounds perfect.
I am laughing at big train's comment! Ha ha! I am with Erin. No dogs allowed here. My kids will have to learn to live with disappointment.
Check out gentlegiantsrescue.com. You'll go nuts.
Hey! You'll have to check out my most recent blog post! Good luck!
PS. Don't get a cat!
P.S.S Can we get some birthday pics of your darling girls?? :)
Hi I'm Becki Kendrick's sister. I don't think the breed matters as much as the training. You really shouldn't get a dog if you aren't committed to training. Here's my (and Spencer's) favorite site and training method. Click on it and start reading. There is a lot you should read about before you get a dog in your home. Good luck! www.dragonflyllama.com click on the dog side to get to the page. Read Stitch's blog as well as The Training Levels book. Have fun--It's addictive! **One other thought--I have had both rescue dogs and pure bred dogs. If you get an adult rescue you should remember that there is always a reason that the dog is at the pound. No matter what they say. Great dogs from responsible owners don't end up at the pound. You might have better luck looking on KSL.com or something like that where you can go directly from the owner. If you get a puppy you can socialize from the beginning but it will be hard work for two -three years. Have fun!
I love that idea of finding a dog. We ended up saving our dog too. SHe is a bordercollie/ Aussie. I would highly recommend them. She is great with babies and kids. She is so mellow but also fun. She makes sure the kids are safe. I've caught her a few times herding the kids around the yard. Yeah that is our dog. We love her tons!
Good Luck! I don't have any answers. But I do agree with your #2 Drop-kick dogs are out of the the question!!!!!
Also, you should feel very lucky that you have an excellent dog trainer in town that will come over for free. I wish I could hire him. He did some great things with Rooney when he was only here for a day or two.
I'm sure you thought I would be the first to respond, but alas, I am behind the game again. As someone who has never been without a dog, I applaud your belated, yet thoughtful, decision. You knew I would say labs, but I am excited about your shelter idea. One of the best dogs we ever had was a chocolate lab from the shelter. He was an adult, but had been abused and needed medical attention. Buck was a sweetheart and the neighborhood kids would come to the door and ask if he could play. Becki's sister gives great advice. You should be careful about adult dogs and why they are there, but with the ages of you kids, don't get a puppy and remember: labs are puppies until they are at least 2! Also, think about timing -- you need to spend a lot of time with him early on -- make sure you have that time. We have had a lot of dogs and made a lot of mistakes (no, the cats weren't a mistake), but having a dog for your kids, in general, is not a mistake. Its kind of like the garden advice -- whether you love to garden or not it teaches your kids to work and the responsibility of someone/something else depending on them. I DO NOT FEED OR CLEAN UP AFTER ANY OF OUR 6 ANIMALS (at least not until college days -- Big Train). The kids know its their responsibility. Best of luck. Can't wait to meet the new addition when we come...
Oh yeah, one more thing, I'm with Brian, the bigger the better. My next dog is a Newfounland!
Mastiffs are actually one of the top family dogs around. Super gentle with kids (my kids used to ride around my in-laws mastiffs like a horse!), and also very protective of the kids. They are big (watch out for the tail), but very sweet dogs.
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