Adult vs. puppy, big vs. small

[ihartgonzo]

Originally Posted by Southpaw

Don't feel bad, I don't typically like Boxers either lol. I do think a lot of it comes down to how they're raised though, the boxers I don't like belong to people who are totally clueless about what they're doing, and the ones I DO like belong to people that actually put time and effort into their dogs. As much as most of the specimens in this breed annoy me, I've had success with the two that I've owned, so I'm sticking with em.

ahhh you're so right! I used to want a Boxer so bad.... now I'm like, NEVER. But I have to remind myself that they're also one of the most common breeds now, and the vast majority are not trained at all. Honestly, I am annoyed by all of the top ten breeds. Even Sheppies, and that's going to be my next breed! Juno is gorgeous and I'm sure I'd love her. And Jackson. It's just crappy that seeing poorly bred and owned dogs can turn you against a breed, when it's not their fault at all.

I know how painful it is to wait, you guys!!!! I'm supposed to be getting a puppy in a month. Instead I'm getting a baby in a few months. Oy vey! I know it sounds bad, but I want my puppy now!

[StephyMei1112]

Sorry - don't like Boxers at all. Met some well trained and bred ones...just not my sort of dogs.

Uh if the right adult was available and there were no underlying serious issues that plagued him/her then sure. Puppies are great but exhausting and stressful. I'm already dreading the sleepless nights, sweat, and terror at finding the oddest of things chewed up on the floor or unrecognizable canine body matter splattered across it that will come in a year or two. But the laughs, the fun, the adventure...all so worth it. So it'd probably be puppy for me again =)

[RD]

I went from Papillon to Border Collie with a lot of ease. It was actually harder for me, having a small dog... Medium sized dogs aren't that much less convenient than tiny ones, honestly. You still have to buy all the dog stuff. Everything is just slightly more... You spend a little more on dog food. Their crate takes up a little more space. They need a little more exercise. Eve is 30lbs and is small enough to be discreet and easy to travel with, big enough to be relatively sturdy, and I can still pick her up easily if I need to. I worry a lot about tiny dogs being fragile (and tbh, most ARE) and a slightly larger dog puts me way at ease in that department.

Personally, and this is just me, I hate living with adolescent dogs. I like puppies and I like adult dogs but ughhhh from about 5-18 months I am counting down the days until the dog is matured. That weird stage, the flip-flopping and odd behavior and teenage brattiness is what I don't like about getting a pup.

That said, I still prefer being able to raise a pup to be my own, adolescence and all. I hate saying that because I've had adult rescues and puppy rescues and breeder pups and I just loved all of them, but I'm partial to how a dog "fits" with me when it's lived with me as a young, impressionable puppy. Adult dogs fit well, too, but it takes considerably more effort for the lifestyles to click, and there will always be left-over imprints and habits from a dog that was raised by someone else. I like this, I think it gives a dog character, but for me personally, since my future dog will be a working dog, I need compatibility more than character.

[DenoLo]

I like puppies 8-12 weeks old. Lola grew up with a German Shepherd, so I was originally going to get another, but that did not work out at all. The dog was 10 months old and while they got along superbly for hours, as soon as I brought him home he suddenly decided Lo was a rabbit. I probably will not be in another position to get another for another 2 years, but when I do I'm either going to go with another wee one (Pap) or 20-30 lbs tops. Do not want to deal with overkill prey drive ever again.

I also find the wee ones to be so easy and very cheap. Lo eats like 20 kibbles a day tops

[Southpaw]

Originally Posted by RD

Personally, and this is just me, I hate living with adolescent dogs. I like puppies and I like adult dogs but ughhhh from about 5-18 months I am counting down the days until the dog is matured. That weird stage, the flip-flopping and odd behavior and teenage brattiness is what I don't like about getting a pup.

YESSS same here. It's really a miracle my dog came out of that stage in her life unscathed by me. And then at 18ish months it is literally like a switch was flicked. Like something had taken over her body for 12 months and then one day let her have it back. It is a strange and horrible period lol.

That's what scares me from ever getting a puppy again, but when you do get to finally see the result of all your hard work.... it's awesome.

[Ratboy]

In 4 months, King and Molly will be 14, and I know I will be making a choice sooner than I want to about how I want to go with the next dogs. I have serious mobility issues due to a bad, well, unbelievably bad series of falls, so I'm thinking of going smaller, as I can't really walk them anymore. The back yard is big enough a little ball action will give them a workout. Of course, that's assuming they are ball crazy. Molly used to be, but King's interest in balls was only in taking them away from Molly, and at this point, they don't care any more. A bunch of my friends have new pups and dogs, all of them big or BIG, and I don't think it would be smart to go any bigger than King and Molly are (55 pounds), and I'm leaning towards adults versus pups, as I doubt it would even be possible to have two as simple and easy as King and Molly were to housebreak, etc. Two weeks and they were 100% reliable alone. I guess it's payback for the 18 months it took Gus to stop dropping loads in the house. And the chewing everything. I was owed an easy one or two after that, but the odds against it happening again are too high to even hope for.