Before you get a....

I'm making this thread to take my mind off the very stressful current events in my life right now....

Basically - just share info and what you personally think people should be really aware of before jumping into a relationship and commitment with a breed they are interested in. So everyone can share abit of their understanding/feelings of their own breeds =) pictures of your dogs would be great too

So it'll start with a "Before you get a..."


Katalin getting her nails grinded...

Before you get a....Kuvasz

They are big, goofy, loving and lovable teddybears - to their families. If you want a dog that will slobber and welcome guests freely to your residence, love everyone, and live to breath the air you do and lay at your feet waiting for commands - by all means, get ANOTHER kind of dog!

*Slow to mature - be prepared for puppyish behavior and mentality for a long time. 1 - 1 1/2 years for females, 2 - 3 for males. Socialization "acceptance" window starts closing at around 2 generally - so introduce them and let them be handled by anyone whom is a fixture in your life well before then.

*They SHED. Your best friend will be a lint brush and heavy duty vacuum. Lowest maintenance "self-cleaning" coat though - baths aren't needed often and they don't smell.

*They AREN'T good off leash, at dog parks, or in unfenced yards. They are very prone to roaming and will not generally stay near you/your family when out and about. Obedience training starts early and you must be firm about it - be prepared to be incredibly frustrated.

*They are independent and intellectual. They constantly think and are really easily distracted. Don't feel like your dog is giving you the "cold shoulder" if he/she doesn't want to be at your feet or in your lap every waking moment - they do show love though, and are really sweet dogs to their people - you just need to appreciate it if they show it in unique, less typical ways.

*Socialize the hell out of them. Take them to the market, mall, bank, shops etc - You'll be thankful for it when you realize you can take your huge white guard dog out for walks and let it join in on activities without wanting to have everything/one for lunch or any other nasty reactions.

*They have "soft" temperaments. They are sensitive, responsive, and gentle. Be very firm but fair - these dogs don't take to beatings, abuse, or unfair treatment kindly - they will make this clear to you sooner or later if they aren't handled properly.

As much as I love Labs, I will be the first to admit they aren't the right dog for a lot of people. They are great family, therapy and service dogs. But, before you get a Lab-

You know those calm, well behaved dogs you see on TV? That comes with training and lots of it. I'm a firm believer in training starts the day your dog/puppy comes home and ends when you no longer have the dog. Without that training, expect Marley.

Expect puppy crazies for at least 2-3 years. Training, again, will help control it. And, of course, excercise, and lots of it. Once they mature, that doesn't mean the craziness goes away. It just comes in more controlled bursts.

At about 6 months old, expect your puppy to "forget" just about everything you've taught it. Don't give in. Stick to whatever rules you've established and you'll get through it. Also, some dogs will test those rules periodicaly over the course of their lives.

They were bred to retrieve, which translates into picking up everything they see, and, unless taught not to, chewing it (see above about training). The good news is, they have a soft mouth, so, unless they are chewing it, what they pick up can be safely delivered to you without any damage, just a little wet.

They shed, some more than others. A Lab with a proper coat can give a GSD and Husky a run for their money in the shedding department.

Water- again, think of what they were bred for. The majority of Labs will seek out water in some form to play in, even mud puddles.

Came back to add this, but couldn't edit my post.

Shedding- as I mentioned above, Labs can shed alot. The top coat sheds all year. Undercoat is blown twice a year- in the spring and fall

Coat- remember a Lab's top coat is waterproof. Expect it to feel somewhat oily.

If you're looking for a guard dog, look elsewhere. Labs can put on a good show "alert" barking, but if the barking doesn't deter a thier, they're more likely to show him where all your wordly possessions are then stop him from taking them. And help him carry them out.

Before you get a JRT make sure you have a good sense of humour!!

They will challenge you as a leader/trainer in ways you never imagined. They are smart, trainable, and very into their people. But they are not biddable and tend NOT to care what you want.

They are assertive intelligent little beasts who don't back down to conflict.

A sense of humour and patience are essential before you bring one home

Ooh! I like this thread. I've only had one... so it probably isn't as "All Breed Encompassing" as others will/would have.

The Boxer.

This breed is a fantastic family dog who loves people, especially children. With good socialization, they normally take well to strange dogs as well. They are protective of their home, but would not make a good guard dog.

Expect lots of energy, especially up to age two. They are said to be eternal puppies. Easily excitable, zoomies are a several times a day occurrence. Their play style is fun, bouncy and includes a lot of use of their hands. They enjoy being chased or to chase other dogs. The toy drive is there, but don't expect a ball to be returned to you without extensive practice.

Shedding is steady, but not overwhelming.

These dogs are stubborn and not easy to train. They tend to blow off commands if they know there will be no fantastic reward for them. These dogs are intelligent as well, though sometimes their goofiness portrays them as dumb. They enjoy learning, but when they feel they have done well enough, they quit trying to improve. Off leash is something that can be achieved, and is a loved time when can be done, but it takes a lot of time. This breed tends to run ahead, and then return when they can not see you.

Health is not something to be taken lightly in this breed. They are highly known for cancer, hip issues, and are prone to bloat. When exercising, make sure water and shade are readily available, as they overheat easily and do not like to quit playing. Forced rest is a lot of times sometimes.

Oh! If in cold weather, they do chill easily, so coats are needed.

As I said, this is based a lot off of just one dog, so feel free to add/change anything at all. However, I do feel she is a good representation through the research that I've done.

Erm I think it would be shorter if I just said all those who wish for a couch ornament that they might walk once in a blue moon need not apply...

Kuvasz? You bettcha!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01M5G7s6_mc&feature=g-upl

Before you get a papillon realize that this dog is going to need exercise and training. Probably as much as many large breeds. I swear 90% of the problems I run into with papillon people is that they had no idea that the dog would be so 'hyper'. Numerous occasions where I hear 'I just can't get my papillon to stop moving!' Or... 'Why won't my papillon cuddle?' Cases where the dog has nothing done with it at all and is frustrated. Poor pap in rescue the other day at Petco was spinning and barking and shaking with energy. They were not letting it go to a non sport home.... Of course not all paps are THAT active but the amount of complaints I've heard about people being unprepared for the energy level is staggering.

It's really frustrating to me because a lot of people will scoff when I've used the term 'high energy' or 'drivey' with a papillon but will warn and warn and warn about other breeds that in my experience are not far off from many papillons' energy and drive level.

anyways, if you put the time into a pap that you would a larger breed, you'll be rewarded tenfold with a well behaved and well rounded dog. Mine are bombproof and so easy. But that took work.

Laurelin,

A professor of a friend of mine at the University of British Columbia owns a pair of pap girls with his wife. They are the Phalene variety with the dropped/"sunken" ears. Now the professor and his wife are both well into their 60's so I'm just assuming these Pap's aren't/haven't been to training classes/agility/sports activities. But they are apparently REALLY well behaved, cuddly, and very...well, laid back. Perhaps it's to do with the Phalene type? and they aren't old either - 3 and 4 only.

I haven't met alot of Papillion's - but most have been very hyper/bouncy, extremely driven, and just really energetic all in all.

Before you get a Finkie, you'd better get some earplugs...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwRusQ9Vb-o

And a good vacuum. As well as a sense of humor and desire to be challenged in coming up with fun, fast-paced ways of training. The ability to roll with the punches and apathy over looking like a fool sometimes is preferred

I have heard that phalenes can tend to be softer/more mild and more spaniely than paps just because of bloodlines being a little separate. Don't know if that's true, a friend of mine has a very intense phalene boy, lol.

A lot depends on the lines. Mia is very intense but it's to be expected as her lines have a lot of agility and sports dogs coming off of them. Multiple MACH winners, a 2x world's team member (an uncle), and some other agility and even a flyball dog. But just to say Mia comes off extremely well behaved and mellow in public (unless you see her at class, then she's a mess). She's just well trained and well socialized. I get so many compliments and comments on how calm she is.

Rose, Beau, and Bernard don't do any sports/training and are okay. Rose is very very mellow and super easy. Always has been. Beau is 8 now and still hyper but he and Bernard spent their life wrestling 24/7. Beau at 8 would still play all day long. My sister has Nard now and they hike and walk daily and he's adapted well to being an only dog.

Mia and Rose types are about the opposite ends of the spectrum and both not uncommon. I think most paps are the Summer, Bernard, Beau, Harry, Hiro types. More middle of the road. That said, Beau and Summer are especially a little more hyper than most people want a 'lapdog' to be. Summer is 8 and still obnoxious if you don't exercise her good. She's also 8 years old and still is the most hyper dog in her agility class. She's 6 years older than the next oldest dog too.

Before you get a koolie: remove all valuable/breakable items from every shelf in the house, especially the really high shelves.

Before you get a Malinois, come and meet mine.

Or take mine.

Before you get a border collie, spend a day with mine during a thunderstorm or hunting season. -_-

Lol I second that RD!

Before you get a Corgi... get a really good sense of humor, and don't expect your dog to worship you. UNLESS you have cheese.

Before you get a Cardi, be sure you can live with what basically amounts to a loud, drunken Welshman with a control complex, who's also raring for a fight. LOL. (Isn't somebody on here married to a Welsh guy??? )

Before you get a Doberman....



1. Be prepared for health problems. Dobes aren't a healthy breed, and owning them for any decent amount of time means you will run into heart problems, thyroid problems, cancer, bloat and more. It sucks.

2. Be sure you can handle owning a dog that is extremely territorial and does NOT like everybody they meet. If you can't handle a protective/aggressive response from your dog, do not get a Doberman.

3. Don't get a male if you have another male dog. They don't get along. Don't even try to make it work, because 99 times out of 100 you'll have a very serious situation on your hands. Also, the bitches are bitches. Snarky.

4. Young male dobes eat a lot - especially when they're intact - so be prepared. It's not unheard of for a young male dobe to need 8-14 cups of food per day.

5. Be prepared to buy jammies and coats if you live in a place that gets cold winters.

6. Dobes are like tumors... you practically have to surgically remove them from your body.

7. Be prepared to get very inventive with your training. Dobermans are incredibly smart, but they aren't a breed that does well without consequences for inappropriate behavior. At the same time, they are sensitive and so heavy handedness and unfair punishment is the fastest way to make a Dobe refuse to work for you.

There's more, but I'll come back to this thread later if I have time.

Before you get a munchkin,




Pick up all your pen caps.

LOL Perfect!