Clueless!

I want a dog, but I have absolutely no idea where to start. What should I know before getting a dog? which dog should I get? What should they be fed?

Thanks!

Well, there are some very important questions you need to ask yourself. 1) How much time do you have to devote to a dog? 2) do you need an active dog or a lazy dog? 3) do you prefer indoor or outdoor activities? 4) do you want a big dog, medium, or little dog? 5) do you need a dog that gets along with other animals or children? 6) do you want to housetrain a puppy, or get a dog that is older and already housetrained? 7) do you want to get a pure bred dog or a mix? 8) Where do you live (do you have a fenced in yard, or do you live in the city, or the courtry, etc.? I need answers (as will others) to these questions before I can really help you and determine what type dog may be best for you. Answer those and I will try to help you out.

I think most important is what size of dog do you want. 2. Do you want a dog that has long hair or short hair? 3. How much do you want to spend on dog food? I think these 3 questions are the most important of looking for a breed of dog.

1) both parents work from a home office, so they are home all day. the dog will get PLENTY of attention.
2)we wouold like a dog that can go on walks with us, we walk pretty briskly, but we dont wanta dog that wants to be running 3 times a day. they have a yard (2/3 acre) to play in, and walks will be at least daily.
3)indoor activities
4)medium or big, no little dogs. anywehere in size ranging from a collie to a bernese mountain dog
5)two children in this household. my siter who is 12, and me, Im 14. The only other pets we have are 2 guinea pigs.
6)we want an older dog. i just dont think puppies are right for us
7)doesnt matter
8)live in the suburbs, have a fenced in 2/3 acre yard. neighborhood is very dog friendly, and there is a dog park right across the street that must be at least 5 acres. Almost every other family on the street has dogs.

as for length of hair, no preference. but not something that is incredibly hard to maintain. As for dog food, we are very willing to purchase quality food.

A Bernese Mountain Dog has a coat that needs to be maintained. It sheds quite a bit and it needs a lot of exercise. I looked into these when I wanted one. They can also get big if you get a male.

An older dog is a very good idea. You can skip all the housetraining. Let me give it some thought and I will get back to you ok?

What about a Great Dane? They are big but their coat is easy to maintain and they need exercise but not a whole lot. Are they too big?

What about a boxer? They need exercise though. Hopefully some other people can give you some good ideas too based on your needs and preferences.

I think great danes are tooo big for us....what about a border collie/lab mix?

That would be a good dog. Have you found one that is a mix of those two somewhere?

chiquita, seems you already know the kind of dog that would work with your family. And with 12 posts under your belt, I'm sure you've scanned and read the numberous posts about different breeds.

I would definately suggest asking your parents to accumpany you to your local shelter to have a look and I'm sure you will find the perfect dog to meet your family's needs.

Good Luck

Border Collies require PLENTY PLENTY of excercise. He will need space to run! I would discourage you to get this breed.

we havea sizable yard and a humongous dog park not even one minute walking distance away.