Advice For New Dog Owner

[SoCal]

Now that I'm retired I have plenty of time for training and other needs, my wife and I have started looking for a dog, it will be my first. We live in a small downtown apartment with an older cat, so I think it would be better for cat /dog relations to bring in puppy. Plus I'd like the whole puppy raising experience.

Given our 1200 sq foot apartment with no yard, we'll need a small dog. I've been reading a lot about different breeds, their characteristics, training methods (it seems they're many), how to care for a dog, etc. As far as the breed goes, I don't care is it's mixed or not, we'll probably end up with a mixed breed. I've seen some pure breeds being sold for 3k. I wouldn't care if it's a mix with one of those fufu dogs with the long flowing coat because I'd always keep it very short.

I've seen a lot of terriers and I know about their reputation for barking and hyper personality. If one is crossbreed, how much would that reduce these characteristics? I'd like to find a dog from a shelter, but I don't want an older dog or one with health issues (I have enough of my own).

I'm a life long cat owner and I know owning a dog and taking care of one is like night and day. But I do know tiny bit about training, I trained two cats to sit up and one to jump on my shoulder.

Any advice?

 

[Rogue Valley]

Now that I'm retired I have plenty of time for training and other needs, my wife and I have started looking for a dog, it will be my first. We live in a small downtown apartment with an older cat, so I think it would be better for cat /dog relations to bring in puppy. Plus I'd like the whole puppy raising experience.

Given our 1200 sq foot apartment with no yard, we'll need a small dog. I've been reading a lot about different breeds, their characteristics, training methods (it seems they're many), how to care for a dog, etc. As far as the breed goes, I don't care is it's mixed or not, we'll probably end up with a mixed breed. I've seen some pure breeds being sold for 3k. I wouldn't care if it's a mix with one of those fufu dogs with the long flowing coat because I'd always keep it very short.

I've seen a lot of terriers and I know about their reputation for barking and hyper personality. If one is crossbreed, how much would that reduce these characteristics? I'd like to find a dog from a shelter, but I don't want an older dog or one with health issues (I have enough of my own).

I'm a life long cat owner and I know owning a dog and taking care of one is like night and day. But I do know tiny bit about training, I trained two cats to sit up and one to jump on my shoulder.

An advice?

Dogs are better friends. Cats are less maintenance.

 

[Rexedgar]

My advice would be to think long and hard before you get a dog. They require an almost a child-like commitment if you do it right....

 

[Superfly]

Think long and hard about the whole “I want the puppy experience.”

Puppies are fun, until you step in a steaming pile at 4 am.

 

[Lutherf]

I'm not a dog owner and never have been one but the commonality I hear from ALL dog owners is "hair". Poodles tend to shed very little, as I understand it.

 

[Rexedgar]

I'm not a dog owner and never have been one but the commonality I hear from ALL dog owners is "hair". Poodles tend to shed very little, as I understand it.

Poodles? That’s a low maintenance dog..........not!

 

[SoCal]

Yeah, as far commitment goes, I've heard it described as getting married to your dog. But I have the time now and believe we can handle any crisis.

As far as cleaning up hair, I understand it's like you say, it doesn't solve everything. Although from what I read, they do shed less than many others. I think a poodle mix would be a great choice...

 

[Lutherf]

Yeah, as far commitment goes, I've heard it described as getting married to your dog. But I have the time now and believe we can handle any crisis.

As far as cleaning up hair, I understand it's like you say, it doesn't solve everything. Although from what I read, they do shed less than many others. I think a poodle mix would be a great choice...

Mom has a Labradoodle. The dog has an awesome disposition and doesn't make much mess. That being said, the dog also seems to have more stomach issues than I knew existed and a few bone issues. Mom is on a first name basis with more than one vet.

 

[SoCal]

Mom has a Labradoodle. The dog has an awesome disposition and doesn't make much mess. That being said, the dog also seems to have more stomach issues than I knew existed and a few bone issues. Mom is on a first name basis with more than one vet.

I've been reading about many hereditary diseases effecting so many breeds and some that can't be detected until they're fully grown. I hear that generally speaking, a mix will tend to have fewer issues. I also read that poodles are one of the most intelligent breeds...

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

A two year old, forever.
Most dogs have the emotional/intellectual profile of a typical two year old....both the good and the bad.
Since you're in an apartment you definitely want a SMALL dog.

Just remember this one thing...to your dog, you're a BUILDING...size wise.
Everything you do and say to them is from "the God" angle...you are towering over them and they're mostly looking up at the bipedal magic super-being talking to them.

So when you get mad, multiply what you're feeling a hundred times, hence be very gentle even when FIRM, if you're angry, count to ten and figure out how to translate that to "being disappointed" instead. Both dogs and cats are aware of when a human is disappointed in them.
And dogs definitely don't want you to be disappointed in them. And they want human touch, human contact.
So one way to express disappointment is to make a "thing" out of not letting them get that touch....you have to make a game out of it and so does your partner.

As for physical discipline, even with a very large dog, anything more than a tiny little tap on the snout is too much.
Dogs who get hit get "ruined" and it doesn't make them stop whatever bad behavior they might be engaging in either.
Sometimes it makes it get worse. The tiny gentle tap on the snout is to get their attention, nothing more...tell them "NO" firmly and give them a little tap...you can even skip the tap on the snout altogether because less is more, so if you almost never do it, on the rare occassion when you DO, it really works.
If you do it every time you tell them "NO", eventually they just think it's a game.

So waggle your finger and refuse all touch and engagement and make a show of being disappointed instead.
And, being disappointed is only relevant if you also make a big show of being pleased and proud when they do something GOOD.

As for barking...hey...if barking bugs you, do not get a dog. Dogs MUST BARK.

Now that having been said, OUR dog doesn't just bark...she groans, growls, whines, sings, howls, snorts...she has a full vocabulary. She USED to go bananas barking at dogs on the TV set but now she mostly growls or whines.
She only really barks if we encourage her...("Who's the doggie? Look at the doggie!!) or if the dog or dogs are running fast or if they are barking.

So I guess what I am getting at is, their barking is our talking so yes, we DO encourage her to speak her mind, but what we do is, we encourage to actually have a reason to speak her mind.
And the result is, when we tell her it is quiet time, she does listen.
She might start barking like crazy at something but if we "Ssshhhhh" and make the sign for quiet time, her barking changes to quiet whining or growling instead. And I can tell she's reacting to us because she will whine or growl and then look at us like,
"Okay is this alright? It's not barking."

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

I've been reading about many hereditary diseases effecting so many breeds and some that can't be detected until they're fully grown. I hear that generally speaking, a mix will tend to have fewer issues. I also read that poodles are one of the most intelligent breeds...

Mutts ARE healthier for the same reason any multi-variate genetic package is healthier...nature detests purity.
A purebred is the animal equivalent of a cloistered fundamentalist religious group that only permits marriage from within the local flock.
That's why FLDS Mormons living on gated compounds have such a large incidence of severe mental retardation and a bunch of other issues.

Poodles are smart but so are Jack Russells, but the thing is, if you don't engage with them constantly, they WILL find a way to engage with SOMETHING, and it might be your great grandmother's precious antique furniture from the old country, like our four hundred year old Louis XIV chest that we had to get repaired after Boops decided to chew the foot.
Thankfully it was an easy fix but still, the point is, she didn't know the piece was four hundred years old.

View attachment 67280992

And Boops isn't a Jack Russell or a poodle. We think she is part lab and part greyhound.
A friend of ours from Texas said "That's a Bird Dog" but when pressed, had no idea what BREED...he's just convinced she's a bird dog.
But she's a smart little [censored] no question about it.

 

[SoCal]

...Thankfully it was an easy fix but still, the point is, she didn't know the piece was four hundred years old.

View attachment 67280992

And Boops isn't a Jack Russell or a poodle. We think she is part lab and part greyhound.
A friend of ours from Texas said "That's a Bird Dog" but when pressed, had no idea what BREED...he's just convinced she's a bird dog.
But she's a smart little [censored] no question about it.

Jeez, 400 year old wood? It must be made of termites holding hands.

Your attachment didn't work for me. Given its possible parents Boops, must be a huge terrier...

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

Jeez, 400 year old wood? It must be made of termites holding hands.

Your attachment didn't work for me. Given its possible parents Boops, must be a huge terrier...

Attachment? It's a picture on DP.
Betty Boop is about thirty five pounds and about 20 inches high at the shoulder, so not huge at all.
Ummmm, a Louis XIV antique chest does not contain termites...hate to dissolve your view of antiques, it's a very solid piece of furniture.
The clock on top of it was originally in one of Napoleon's palaces, it was made specifically for Napoleon himself.

 

[JANFU]

I've been reading about many hereditary diseases effecting so many breeds and some that can't be detected until they're fully grown. I hear that generally speaking, a mix will tend to have fewer issues. I also read that poodles are one of the most intelligent breeds...

Designer dogs have high rates of genetic disorders and that gets pricey

Next- prepare for when you travel- yes going out all day and leaving the dog behind, well ya may have a mess or 2

Dogs need a ton of attention and maintenance

Get a cat is my 2 cents worth

 

[ttwtt78640]

The only small dog I have ever owned was a chihuahua/terrier mix, male and he weighed 11 lbs. full grown. He was primarily kept outside except in the winter, but was well behaved indoors and got along well with other (always larger) dogs - his yard/house mate was a male 130 lb. Chesapeake Bay retriever belonging to my roommate. I trained him to ride with me on my motorcycle using a towel affixed to the gas tank - the hardest part was to teach him that simply because the engine stopped that it was not time to jump off yet.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

Designer dogs have high rates of genetic disorders and that gets pricey

Next- prepare for when you travel- yes going out all day and leaving the dog behind, well ya may have a mess or 2

Dogs need a ton of attention and maintenance

Get a cat is my 2 cents worth

But a lot of the same stuff also applies to the kitties.
Purebred cats have a lot of the same issues, especially the 'designer' breeds.
I personally find some of these new designer breeds to be a cruel joke.

Take those cat breeds with the pinched in cute little faces, those cats have the same breathing problems as a pug dog.
They don't have a functional cat snout, so they have difficulty breathing, eating, even drinking.
And then take the ones with the stumpy legs, they can barely walk and they can't run well.

Same with those designer dogs.
These breeders who created them, it's as if they didn't even care about the consequences for the dog's quality of life.

Yes I think pugs are adorable but I actually wish the breed had never been invented because you can tell these poor animals have a horrible quality of life.

Oh travel? Periods of absence? OMG it can be hilarious or it can develop into a bad issue.
When we first had Betty, just going away for an hour...it was like she must have held a little "funeral" because of course to her little dog brain, we were "going away forever" and our kids would tell us she would act very very depressed, and she'd keep going to the door and crying.
And when we would get back it was like we were gone FOREVER! :lamo
We've finally moved past that and worked it out. She still misses us when we're out of the house but she doesn't have a meltdown.

Now, with the pandemic and my wife and I being high risk, we have barely left the house at all, so when we do start going out again, she may have reverted to type. But Betty Boop is a pretty well adjusted animal...for a goofy silly dog, that is.
She's not a guard dog or watchdog...she's strictly a companion.
That said, that critter CAN RUN!
She is fast fast fast and there's no question, she would give her life to protect one of us.
But she's also just a 35 pound silly pup who is very lovable.

And she's probably the healthiest critter either of us have ever had, we definitely picked a good mutt!

 

[SoCal]

Attachment? It's a picture on DP.
Betty Boop is about thirty five pounds and about 20 inches high at the shoulder, so not huge at all.
Ummmm, a Louis XIV antique chest does not contain termites...hate to dissolve your view of antiques, it's a very solid piece of furniture.
The clock on top of it was originally in one of Napoleon's palaces, it was made specifically for Napoleon himself.

Wow, amazing. What a piece of history...

 

[Grand Mal]

Now that I'm retired I have plenty of time for training and other needs, my wife and I have started looking for a dog, it will be my first. We live in a small downtown apartment with an older cat, so I think it would be better for cat /dog relations to bring in puppy. Plus I'd like the whole puppy raising experience.

Given our 1200 sq foot apartment with no yard, we'll need a small dog. I've been reading a lot about different breeds, their characteristics, training methods (it seems they're many), how to care for a dog, etc. As far as the breed goes, I don't care is it's mixed or not, we'll probably end up with a mixed breed. I've seen some pure breeds being sold for 3k. I wouldn't care if it's a mix with one of those fufu dogs with the long flowing coat because I'd always keep it very short.

I've seen a lot of terriers and I know about their reputation for barking and hyper personality. If one is crossbreed, how much would that reduce these characteristics? I'd like to find a dog from a shelter, but I don't want an older dog or one with health issues (I have enough of my own).

I'm a life long cat owner and I know owning a dog and taking care of one is like night and day. But I do know tiny bit about training, I trained two cats to sit up and one to jump on my shoulder.

Any advice?

Owned dogs nearly all my life. When I didn't have a dog I was on the road living in camps and motels for work.
Dogs are happy when they know exactly, consistently where their place in the pack is. Bottom of the pecking order is just fine so long as It's consistent. When they're expected to be subordinate sometimes but allowed to be dominant sometimes you'll get behaviour you don't like. Likewise boredom. Dogs sleep a lot but need a lot of exercise too and if they don't get it they act out.
Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[SoCal]

Designer dogs have high rates of genetic disorders and that gets pricey

Next- prepare for when you travel- yes going out all day and leaving the dog behind, well ya may have a mess or 2

Dogs need a ton of attention and maintenance

Get a cat is my 2 cents worth

Well, we'll probably end up with a mutt and won't have to worry about any designer issues.

Air travel is an issue. My wife is a retired airline employee and we can fly for minimum cost. She thinks the noise and being so close to other animals might be a problem, so she suggested having our dog trained as a service dog that could sit in the cabin. But I'm leaning against that as we'd receive a dog well past his puppy years and would have to bond to a new owner. Plus I've seen enough of the world to make travel a low priority.

Regarding another cat, as they say, been there done that...

 

[eohrnberger]

I've had dogs my entire life.

Advice? Never permit a behavior that you might later regret.

An example:
Some think it's cute to share table food with their dog while they are eating. Then, when company's over for dinner, the dog doesn't 'get' it, and is looking for their share, and it's embarrassing. Better not to start that expectation in the dog.

Other examples: Up on furniture or not? Jumping up on you or not? Begging for food or not? Sleep with you in bed or not?

Once you establish a routine, don't vary from it, little to no exceptions. Dogs thrive on routine, and it makes them happier when the same thing happens every day at the same time (feeding, walk, bathroom outside, etc - you can almost set your clock by them), they are happier when they know exactly what to expect and exactly when to expect it (they'll remind you if they think you are late).

Car rides and drives to a vacation destination are sufficiently rare and different from the norm that this need not be a concern, other than if you want your dog to not get car sick, start early, as a puppy, even if the practice drives is only 10 or 20 minutes. Probably a good idea to take a few weekend 'vacations' the first year with your puppy to start their experiences of such early enough.

Other exceptions are the dog crate. Great for the puppy during the nights (even puppies are trained early on not the mess in their mother's den). Onec they are full house broken, then the crate can still be their safe spot refuge. Later, when full grown, may not need one or want one, or may still wish to use one. Its strictly what you train them to expect as being normal.

Dogs take their cue's from you, and reflect your mood. If you are down, they'll know it, and try to comfort you in their dog way. If you are happy and excited, they will be too. Quite and contemplative? Yeah, that too, lying at your feet or near by, proximity to you is a big thing for them. My dog sleeps on the floor at the foot of my bed on his own dog bed every night without fail.

We've always had big dogs, by that at I mean least around 100 lbs. We've found that there's no safer or more reliable security system, and constant baby sitter, at least when the kids were young.

Confronted by someone you don't like and don't trust at your front door? Your dog will know it, and react accordingly and have your back. Welcome someone into your house, the dog will take their cue from you and welcome them as well.

All that said, a dog makes a home, at least to me (duh, I've have them all my life). Guaranteed to be exited to see you and greet you when you arrive home, every time without fail, even if you've only been gone 5 minutes. Excited to start each day with you afresh when you start to rouse from sleep (and sometimes when you'd rather sleep in too).

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

Wow, amazing. What a piece of history...

I just realized the cats knocked over my son's picture, the little ****s. :lamo

 

[Glitch]

Now that I'm retired I have plenty of time for training and other needs, my wife and I have started looking for a dog, it will be my first. We live in a small downtown apartment with an older cat, so I think it would be better for cat /dog relations to bring in puppy. Plus I'd like the whole puppy raising experience.

Given our 1200 sq foot apartment with no yard, we'll need a small dog. I've been reading a lot about different breeds, their characteristics, training methods (it seems they're many), how to care for a dog, etc. As far as the breed goes, I don't care is it's mixed or not, we'll probably end up with a mixed breed. I've seen some pure breeds being sold for 3k. I wouldn't care if it's a mix with one of those fufu dogs with the long flowing coat because I'd always keep it very short.

I've seen a lot of terriers and I know about their reputation for barking and hyper personality. If one is crossbreed, how much would that reduce these characteristics? I'd like to find a dog from a shelter, but I don't want an older dog or one with health issues (I have enough of my own).

I'm a life long cat owner and I know owning a dog and taking care of one is like night and day. But I do know tiny bit about training, I trained two cats to sit up and one to jump on my shoulder.

Any advice?

Consider a rescue.

One trick I discovered with puppies is to keep a bag of baby carrots in the refrigerator. When you catch them chewing on something inappropriate during their teething phase, stick a baby carrot into their mouth. It is not only nutritious, but it will spare your furniture and your shoes.

Males and females also mature at different rates. Male dogs take 12 months to reach sexual maturity, and females take 18 months. You should not have them neutered or spayed until after they reach sexual maturity.

Female dogs also tend to be more intelligent than male dogs.

 

[eohrnberger]

I just realized the cats knocked over my son's picture, the little ****s. :lamo

Funny story.

Just married moved into an apartment. Balanced a pencil 1/2 over the edge of the coffee table. Went for a long weekend and came back. The pencil was exactly where I'd left it. Drove me nuts.

We got 2 kittens shortly there after, as the apartment was too small for the dog that I'd want. never had to worry about a pencil left that way ever again.

Got our first house. Still had the cats. Soon thereafter got a puppy.

The cats trained him right quick, as they still had their claws.
Never had to worry about the dog and the cats.


Here's a picture of our oldest when she was a toddler and Buster Brown, our first dog. I think Buster was 3 years old then, and a kind hearted soul.
Best friends.

I do still miss him, even after all these years. Yes, pets do in fact become family.

 

[eohrnberger]

Consider a rescue.

One trick I discovered with puppies is to keep a bag of baby carrots in the refrigerator. When you catch them chewing on something inappropriate during their teething phase, stick a baby carrot into their mouth. It is not only nutritious, but it will spare your furniture and your shoes.

Males and females also mature at different rates. Male dogs take 12 months to reach sexual maturity, and females take 18 months. You should not have them neutered or spayed until after they reach sexual maturity.

Female dogs also tend to be more intelligent than male dogs.

Carrots. Oh yes. My 12 year old Chessie jumps with all 4 feet in the air when it's carrot time. Good advice! :thumbs:

 

[OldFatGuy]

Any advice?

Patience. Never raise your hand other than in play, like with a ball or toy in hand. Your dog should never become afraid of your hand. Reward positive behavior with a treat, kind words, and a rub behind the ears. All the rest will sort itself out. When your dog misbehaves, just offer the hairy eyeball and a scowl, not a word need be spoken. Dogs learn your body language and react accordingly. You catch more flies with honey.