New Dog, Need Help

Romy

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#41
About the shedding:

You might look into wirehaired breeds as well. Overall, they shed far far less than most regular coated dogs.

I'm sorry you lost Cthulhu, but please take some time and make sure the dog you get is a good fit for your living situation. Rotties and GSDs are in many cases sharper than something like a staffy, and people have already addressed the shedding aspect.
 

Grab

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#42
Are you allergic to dog AND cat hair? Just cat hair? If both, and you have already rehomed cats, I feel adding a heavily shedding dog seems a bad idea. What happens if you cannot handle allergy symptoms again?

As an aside, I never understand why people can be so cavalier about rehoming cats...my cats are just as loved as our dogs.
 

Paige

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#44
Are you allergic to dog AND cat hair? Just cat hair? If both, and you have already rehomed cats, I feel adding a heavily shedding dog seems a bad idea. What happens if you cannot handle allergy symptoms again?

As an aside, I never understand why people can be so cavalier about rehoming cats...my cats are just as loved as our dogs.
I will be the first to admit I'd rehome the cat before the dog... but I am terribly allergic and would rather suffer than see his little face go. He is my naugthy child who tests me daily and yet... that little face just has me wrapped around his paw.
 

Paige

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#46
I know. That's why I ended up taking Brobee in the break up. My ex said he wouldn't take care of him and the SPCA is too full of cats to take more. So he tagged along.
 

Lyzelle

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#47
:confused: They are fairly quiet dogs...
Uhm, maybe if they are drugged? :rofl1:

I've yet to meet a "calm" or "quiet" boxer. Ever. Most are running trenches in the ground while they're doing laps around anything and everything. Athletes. Not particularly bright athletes, but definitely NOT quiet dogs.
 

thehoundgirl

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#48
I have never found boxers to be quiet either when I worked at the shelter, they are an amazing breed though. I don't really think a boxer would be a good fit.. I would just not go out and get a new dog the next second if this happened to me. :/
 
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SevenSins

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#49
Uhm, maybe if they are drugged? :rofl1:

I've yet to meet a "calm" or "quiet" boxer. Ever. Most are running trenches in the ground while they're doing laps around anything and everything. Athletes. Not particularly bright athletes, but definitely NOT quiet dogs.
Oh I've met calm-ish, quiet-ish Boxers before. They were owned by responsible adults who put the effort of research into the breed and their exercise, training and need for mental stimulation (Boxers can actually be fairly intelligent). On the other hand, I foresee the OP getting the first one they come across and the dog turning into a hyper, mouthy dog who destroys the apartment and has to be "gotten rid of" like the last dog because it does something perfectly preventable...
 
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JessLough

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#50
Oh I've met calm-ish, quiet Boxers before. They were owned by responsible adults who put the effort of research into the breed and their exercise, training and need for mental stimulation (Boxers can actually be fairly intelligent). On the other hand, I foresee the OP getting the first one they come across and the dog turning into a hyper, mouthy dog who destroys the apartment and has to be "gotten rid of" like the last dog because it does something perfectly preventable...
That's the difference. They want a dog NOW, not to wait for a good breeder to have a litter available and not wait to put the required time to do a lot of research. Doesn't sound like they are willing/able to pay for a dog from a breeder, either.
 

crazedACD

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#52
I really haven't met any loud boxers...active, yes of course.

If the OP is hell bent on getting another dog, which I suspect is the case, and they want a tough looking dog.. I think a boxer would be a reasonable choice if he can meet the exercise requirements. I don't really agree with the whole situation (as well as the seemingly uncaring remark about rehoming cats) and wish the OP had fought harder to keep the original dog and pursued training options (preferably at the first sign of an issue). But, you can't change the past, and all you can do is push for a more responsible future.

That's the difference. They want a dog NOW, not to wait for a good breeder to have a litter available and not wait to put the required time to do a lot of research. Doesn't sound like they are willing/able to pay for a dog from a breeder, either.
If they get the dog from a breeder I would seriously question the 'but I can't afford to move'. I'm guessing we'll never hear the end of this as the OP has probably been alienated enough to disappear.
 

yoko

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#53
As for why I'm angry at the neighbor: I'm upset because we could have settled this between us, without the need for a third party. In this case, the management. I had already offered to pay any vet bills if they needed it, and their dog is fine. He had a minuscule puncture on his cheek, it's already cleared up. All in all, this accident cost me a lot more than it cost my neighbor.
This is true. But honestly if my dog is attacked by another dog small wound or not I don't want to deal with that person. They've already shown themselves to be irresponsible dog owners.

As for the breed. Yes, I know that Rotties and GSDs also need a somewhat firm hand. I'm hoping that by getting one as a baby, I'll be able to instill that early on and not have to work as hard later. The only Staffies I've found are already at least a year old, and will probably be tougher to train.
Puppies are puppies. Once they hit their teen stage you don't know what it will be like. You can lay down a foundation with a puppy but it is in no way close to being a guarantee that this dog will be 'easier' to work with.

I've never heard of any apartments in my city that have breed restrictions, and even if they do it's generally anti-pitbull and nothing else (which is sad). My old neighbors in a much nicer complex had a Saint Bernard in their apartment, and the management allowed it.
I have friends who live in TX and I can tell you they definitely have breed restrictions for a lot of apartments and homes and most of them do include GSDs along with bully breeds.



I don't know the details behind the attack incident, but all I can say is that Y'ALL failed your dog, and pretty much all the blame for the attack lies with y'all. Getting rid of one dog in order to get another isn't going to solve the problem.

And with a larger dog, the only thing to happen is the next dog won't be so lucky.

I'm nit trying to be rude. I'm just sick and tired of these kinds of headlines.
This. You mess up ONCE with the breeds you are considering you will be given even less slack than you have received this time. I can tell you the chances of it going from 'remove from the property' to 'destroy the anime' are extremely high.



I am looking at a litter next week... don't think the breeder would be okay with me shipping but what they don't know won't hurt them. ;)
Well if they are selling them online without any home screening they don't really care.


You should wait 90 days... minimum before entertaining the idea of getting another dog. Don't worry you will survive and the emotion of the event will have time to pass to more rational thoughts.

Do not go look at puppies, do not stop at the shelter *just to look*, just don't... trust me on this.

This. You said in the other thread you were moving in 3 months. You NEED to wait. You already blew it here with your other dog. If you blow it again with another dog not only will the punishment probably be harsher you are going to have to get rid of/put down another dog.

Also you can check the other thread about breeds and people telling others not to get a breed and you can see I am STRONGLY against it most of the time because a lot of the time I feel people are unreasonable. But in your case with your history I do not feel these other breeds are for you.

Look into a standard poodle. They are larger, the allergy issue would be solved, and they are easy to train and that sounds like what you need now.

Honestly right now you are just setting it up for this next dog to fail like you did for the last one.
 

*blackrose

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#54
I really haven't met any loud boxers...active, yes of course.

If the OP is hell bent on getting another dog, which I suspect is the case, and they want a tough looking dog.. I think a boxer would be a reasonable choice if he can meet the exercise requirements. I don't really agree with the whole situation (as well as the seemingly uncaring remark about rehoming cats) and wish the OP had fought harder to keep the original dog and pursued training options (preferably at the first sign of an issue). But, you can't change the past, and all you can do is push for a more responsible future.



If they get the dog from a breeder I would seriously question the 'but I can't afford to move'. I'm guessing we'll never hear the end of this as the OP has probably been alienated enough to disappear.
^ My thoughts, too.
 

Cthulhu7

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#55
Ok, thank you all for the help. The info I get from Chaz is exactly the reason I ask here instead of trusting any random online opinion.

If GSDs and Rotties shed a ton, even in hot climates, then I will look for a different breed. And I do see Laurelin's point about renting, even in the future.

SevenSins: It's not that I COULDN'T handle Cthulhu around other dogs. I never got the chance. I was looking into a lot of different ways of helping him get over his dog anxiety. When the incident happened, he had gotten out the door when I was going to do laundry. He had done that a few times, but without problems. This time, my neighbor happened to be taking her dog for a walk at the same time. You have to understand that Cthulhu was already a year old, and had been through two shelters. He was attacked by other dogs at at least one of them. He was extremely terrified of other dogs, big or small. I was intent on doing everything I possibly could to help him through this, and before I could implement any methods this all happened.

blackrose: I like Boxers, but I'm not in love with them. Don't ask, I'm strange. Same thing with Greyhounds. As for Schnauzers, Erin and I are both really unsure if we want a dog that's going to have similar appearance to Cthulhu.

Please stop thinking I'm such a terrible owner. I'm really not, I swear. I appreciate everybody's input. Erin and I have discussed some more, and we think we're a little too upset right now to be choosing another dog. As much as we hate not having one around, we can't afford to adopt until August anyway, so that gives us some time. I'll probably be back on here between now and then to get some advice on breeds and such.

Until then, let me ask this. Is it easier in general to train a dog if you adopt a puppy? I'm the first to admit that I'm not an experienced dog owner. So it would seem that adopting a puppy would give me a "clean-slate" to work with. Cthulhu already had his behaviors (both good and bad) established.
 

Locke

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#56
Puppies are HARD!!

I will never have a puppy again. Near perfect adult dogs exist, you just have to find them. Take your time, and not fall in love with the first cute face you see.

Look for a 3-4 year old dog. Still young, but past the puppy/young dog sillies (for the most part anyway). Go through a rescue as opposed to a shelter as you'll have a better idea of how the dog is in a home environment.
 

yoko

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#57
Until then, let me ask this. Is it easier in general to train a dog if you adopt a puppy? I'm the first to admit that I'm not an experienced dog owner. So it would seem that adopting a puppy would give me a "clean-slate" to work with. Cthulhu already had his behaviors (both good and bad) established.
For me personally my dog lady was 1 1/2 years old when I got her and Yoshi was 4 months.

They were both extremely easy to train. Lady had fear issues but when it came to getting her to understand what I wanted she was great and we worked around her issues.

I don't know you personally but what I have read you may want to get a slightly older dog. Maybe half a year to a year old. You'll be able to get more of an idea on the personality and what you are getting into at that point.

Yes puppies can have different personalities but for the most part from what I have seen puppies are puppies and you get a better feel for the actual personality of the dog at a slightly older age.
 

AdrianneIsabel

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#58
Why not foster for a rescue group for a while? That way you don't pay anything, you can try on different dogs and breeds and gain some experience in handling without the 15 year commitment.
 
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#59
You know, it sounds like the shedding/dander really is an issue.

Do you want an extremely affectionate dog? One that will be engaged with you, play, be personable, easy care and easy to keep when you're renting?

Check into Hairless Terriers. :) Seriously.
 

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