new dog

[chabibi]

my dog died almost two years ago and i have been trying to convince my mom to get a new one ever since. after almost two years she finally caved,
I dont mind pure breeds but i think mutts are the way to go. i am leaning towards my neigbors dog which is up for adoption, she is a mix between a ridgeback and an amstaff, but my mom wants some type of little rodent dog( i cant stand those little yippy dogs).

anyway i am looking for sugestions on breeds, so please let me know what type of dog you have or what yopu would like to get

[mason55]

it depends. need more info like who's taking care of it, how much space you have, do you live in the city? the country? if you mom wants a small dog is there even a point to arguing?

most importantly, are you using this dog as just a companion, or will you be attempting to mate with the dog as well (influences if you should get male or female, depending on your gender).

[tdarko]

i have a border collie and from that dog alone my best friend, girlfriend, and my aunt and uncle got one.

they are the most intelligent breed of dog, they sweet, loyal, and great with kids and new people.

[InchoateHand]

I would go with a boxer, but be careful because there are many congenital defects. To offset the possibility of that, I would consider a Rottxer or a Pittxer.

[Sporky]

i have a Cairn Terrier (Toto from Wizard of Oz). he's around 20 lbs and pretty damn cool. he just kinda chills out and he acts fairly retarded, which gives him a lot of personality. nice dog all in all. i think when you are around 15-20ish lbs and higher you are out of the yapper dog range. it might suit you well as a compromise with your mom to start looking around those weights.

[jakethebake]

labs are great. but like someone pointed out about boxers, you have to be careful and get their hipos certified because they can have big problems with displasia.

[mason55]

[ QUOTE ]
labs are great. but like someone pointed out about boxers, you have to be careful and get their hipos certified because they can have big problems with displasia.

[/ QUOTE ]

their hippos? he didn't say anything about the dog fighting tigers.

will this dog be bred for magic?

[pshreck]

Boston Terrier would be a good compromise.

It was the first American dog!

[Shajen]

Australian sheepdog

Smart, smallish, fun, active dogs.

When I get a slightly larger backyard, this is the dog I am getting. Had a couple growing up, very awesome dogs.

Plus, the chicks dig them.

[pshreck]

My Boston Terrier, at 5 months:

http://img226.exs.cx/img226/5315/picture0582zx.jpg

[mostsmooth]

Bull-dog!!!!
Bull-dog!!!!
Bull-dog!!!!
/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[chabibi]

thats a really cute dog. how big do they get? and do they also have genetic defects?

[bosoxfan]

ginger at 4 months. Tons of energy they need room.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/bosoxfan10/basketballandginger012.jpg

[pshreck]

[ QUOTE ]
thats a really cute dog. how big do they get? and do they also have genetic defects?

[/ QUOTE ]

They have some issues with the eyes, you can tell a little bit in the picture. 95% of the issues are easily treated with topical creams.

They are great dogs, great temperament, good with people and other animals, great with kids....

They can be anywhere from 12-30 pounds at full size.

Mine is 9 pounds in that pic, she should grow to around 14 or 15 at biggest (she was a smaller one).

[jakethebake]

You pic is bigger than the damn dog!!! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[chabibi]

i see your point, we live in the suberbs and have a house big enough for a big dog (our old dog was a german sheppered/ collie) the problem is our old dog, while very friendly and good natured was kinda terretorial around strangers, and she sorta bit a friend of mine once (we were play fighting in the back yard and my dog just jumpped in to help her master) now my mom is worried that a bigger dog could be a seriouse liabllity

[pshreck]

[ QUOTE ]
You pic is bigger than the damn dog!!! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

This was Ripley when she was just 8 weeks. More friendly sized pic.

http://img160.exs.cx/img160/7797/16e41gr.jpg

[chabibi]

is that a boxer puppy?

[[censored]]

I think adopting your neighbor's dog is a horrible idea rife with possible problems for you and the dog.

I like Labs also I have always wanted a Great Dane.

[bosoxfan]

[ QUOTE ]
is that a boxer puppy?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. The tail was done but they left the ears floppy.

[pshreck]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
is that a boxer puppy?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. The tail was done but they left the ears floppy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Same with my Boston.

[VBM]

this is my dog, Mochi. i didn't want a little dog either, but mine is calm, loves to play fetch, loves everyone & practically mute. she's the best. i would run thru oncoming traffic for her...

http://home.comcast.net/~olliejen1/mochi.jpg

[OtisTheMarsupial]

dingo

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
dingo

[/ QUOTE ]

Fine as long as you don't have any babies around.

[RunDownHouse]

Hopefully this will bring an end to the "cute dog" pictures:

I'm debating getting a dog and, leaving breed completely aside for a second, am torn between purebred and mutt. I definitely want certain characteristics (intelligence, energy level, etc) in my dog, and the easiest way to get a dog with those characteristics is to get a purebred. However, that can get pretty pricy, since breeding for the characteristics I want also results in health problems (the hip and eyes kind of stuff). Mutts don't have these inbred genetic health problems, but you also can't be as assured that they'll carry the characteristics you want.

It seems like a trade off that can't be resolved. Spend a good chunk getting a dog with characteristics you want and papers - so you save thousands on vet bills on the back end - or get a cheap mutt, but risk having it be an idiotic, slobbering, ultra-hyper, always-barking piece of [censored].

I haven't researched mutts as much as purebreeds, however, so I was hoping someone could fill me in if one can choose characteristics like intelligence in a mutt, or if its a total crapshoot.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
ginger at 4 months. Tons of energy they need room.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/bosoxfan10/basketballandginger012.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]
This is what my wife and I are trying to get (a male, though). It turns out, though, that finding a good breeder with puppies any time soon is proving to be more difficult than when we bought our freaking house!

[thatpfunk]

[ QUOTE ]
Australian sheepdog

Smart, smallish, fun, active dogs.

When I get a slightly larger backyard, this is the dog I am getting. Had a couple growing up, very awesome dogs.

Plus, the chicks dig them.

[/ QUOTE ]

Aussie's are very awesome. They are very enegergetic though so be prepared for lots of walks, runs, hikes, etc if you are considering them. They are incredibly intelligent as well.

[Ianco15]

Get a Whippet. I used to have two but one died. They look funny, but they are extremely clean and have a great temperment. They are fast too. Plus everyone on the street will ask you why you are starving your dog.

http://www.petplanet.co.uk/petplanet/fun/postcards/breedpostcards/Dogs/whippet.jpg

http://www.dogmasters.com/photos/whippet.jpg


Ship__It.

[Ianco15]

Which ever breed you get, try to make it a rescue. (http://www.nextdaypets.com/directory/dogs/rescue/) and save a dog. /images/graemlins/grin.gif


Ship__It.

[istewart]

pshreck, your dog pwns.

[pshreck]

[ QUOTE ]
pshreck, your dog pwns.

[/ QUOTE ]

I took her into a Petco when she was like 9 weeks old, literally 3/4ths of the people there surrounded her. Very very cute in her young age, she just weighed 2.5 pounds. HUGE babe magnet too.

[Dead]

Lab.

Labs are cool.

[mason55]

You never answered my question about if you were going to be mating with this dog yourself.