View Full Version : Help! I am not sure which dog I should get?
nicoled
11-06-2005, 08:22 PM
Hi! This is my first time on the board and I am hoping I can get some advice from some of you who have experience with dogs. Although I have a little bit of experience I really could use some advice. I have been looking for a puggle for a long time. I finally found one and have put my name on the list to get one in December. Today I went to an adoption show and saw a beagle/lab mix (the foster mother thinks there is some border collie in him). Cute dog, about 5 months old. I am torn about which dog to get and have had some opinions from friends and family about both. But none of them are dog owners. Any thoughts would be very much appreciated!
thank you!
Julie
11-06-2005, 08:48 PM
Personally I would rather adopt a dog that needed a home, than to spend money on a puggle.;)
And welcome to chaz. glad to have you here.
Julie.
yuckaduck
11-06-2005, 08:56 PM
If you want a mutt that bad then why not go adopt one from the shelter. A puggle is just a mutt!
What are your reasons for buying a puggle? To rephrase, what about a puggle makes you want one so bad? Personally, I say adopt the mutt, because you won't be throwing away money on a fad dog that is really just an overpriced mutt anyway.
And welcome to Chaz! No matter which dog you get, this is the place to be!
Gempress
11-06-2005, 09:20 PM
A puggle isn't a real breed, it's a cross between two purebreds: a mutt. Not that there's anything wrong with mutts! The problem is that most puggle breeders are the ones who jumped on the "fad" and are breeding these dogs as fast as they can and selling them as high as they can. There's no regard for health or welfare of the dogs. I've heard of puggles going for $1,000. That's a ridiculous price for a mutt, especially one with no health guarantees!
I'd go for the beagle/lab. Much cheaper, and just as deserving of a home.
casablanca1
11-07-2005, 01:28 PM
I have been looking for a puggle for a long time. I finally found one and have put my name on the list to get one in December. Today I went to an adoption show and saw a beagle/lab mix (the foster mother thinks there is some border collie in him). Cute dog, about 5 months old.
I see from google that a puggle is a beagle/pug mix. If you want a smallish dog like this, adopting a puppy who will likely be somewhat larger (lab, border collie ingredients) is a mistake. If you'd like to adopt a dog/puppy instead of purchasing one from a breeder, it would be better to search out one who more closely fit your desires. I can tell you from personal experience that any dog with collie in them is going to be very different from a dog that is a pug/beagle cross. They're going to be barkers with a ton of energy, and pretty certain to be well over beagle size.
I would personally like to see you try a shelter instead of a breeder for a mixed breed; a good shelter could put you on a list for the type of small dog you'd like, or you could contact a pug rescue, which would likely get some mixes of pug and other dogs from time to time.
I don't like the idea of designer 'breeds' that are basically popular mixes with good marketing, but you have the right to buy one. If you decide to go the shelter route, though, don't completely abandon what you were looking for in a puggle simply because you met a cute, needy puppy. Stick to your guns, there are plenty of good, needy puppies who will be enough like a puggle to make you happy and fit your lifestyle.
In any case, I wish you luck.
Renee750il
11-07-2005, 01:42 PM
Thanks for the excellently posted advice, Casa :)
yuckaduck
11-07-2005, 03:40 PM
I see from google that a puggle is a beagle/pug mix. If you want a smallish dog like this, adopting a puppy who will likely be somewhat larger (lab, border collie ingredients) is a mistake. If you'd like to adopt a dog/puppy instead of purchasing one from a breeder, it would be better to search out one who more closely fit your desires. I can tell you from personal experience that any dog with collie in them is going to be very different from a dog that is a pug/beagle cross. They're going to be barkers with a ton of energy, and pretty certain to be well over beagle size.
I would personally like to see you try a shelter instead of a breeder for a mixed breed; a good shelter could put you on a list for the type of small dog you'd like, or you could contact a pug rescue, which would likely get some mixes of pug and other dogs from time to time.
I don't like the idea of designer 'breeds' that are basically popular mixes with good marketing, but you have the right to buy one. If you decide to go the shelter route, though, don't completely abandon what you were looking for in a puggle simply because you met a cute, needy puppy. Stick to your guns, there are plenty of good, needy puppies who will be enough like a puggle to make you happy and fit your lifestyle.
In any case, I wish you luck.
Only one comment, I had a lab/collie growing up and he never barked. Energy was boundless and endless, always running. We used him to herd the cattle, and even at that he was still full of energy. I cannot remember ever hearing him bark though. Not even when the house was broken into while we were watching a movie in the den. He just sat on the couch and mom and dad scared the guy away.
Outstanding post in every other way though.