Thinking about buying a dog...

[HwaRang777]

AND NOT FOR DINNER!!! (it's an asian joke)

My parents and I are considering buying a dog as a pet. Now I do understand that it's not a toy and it's a responisibility yadda yadda, but what I want to know is where and how can I buy one. If I wanted a purebred, then can I only go to a breeder? or could I go to the local animal shelter? plus, even though I've read a bit on this which is better: a puppy or older dog? I'm a HS senior going on to college and my parents don't have much else to take care of/to do at home. And are beagles a decent choice?

[Mr. SmartyPants]

What about the everyday korean jindohgeh?

[ChristianKitsune]

I wouldn't get a beagle unless you are willing to put up with a lot of howling.

and I always go for Pound Puppies (not the toy) yeah they are wired and sometimes hard to train at first..but I look at this way

Wouldn't I be wired too if I escaped death by lethal injection? Wouldnt I be wired If I was saved by a great person?

Oooh kinda reminds me of Christ! in a way...hah!

Go with a mutt! they are the coolest and you get interesting combinations! ^_^

[Yumie]

You can even look in the paper for puppies-- a lot of people who breed on the small-scale sell puppies that way. And yes, I'd definitely recommend a puppy, especially if you're a senior. Because, while puppies are a pain in the rear at first, you can train them much easier, and the better trained it is, the easier it'll be on your parents. And then, beyond that, you can even do a little research into what breeds are friendliest and easiest to train, etc. For instance, I plan to buy a papillion eventually, because they're really friendly and super-easy to train (and really, really cute! And. . . really, really expensive. . . :\.) Overall, you've got loads of options. Good luck! ^_^

[Sweet Mercury]

AND NOT FOR DINNER!!! (it's an asian joke)

My parents and I are considering buying a dog as a pet. Now I do understand that it's not a toy and it's a responisibility yadda yadda, but what I want to know is where and how can I buy one. If I wanted a purebred, then can I only go to a breeder? or could I go to the local animal shelter? plus, even though I've read a bit on this which is better: a puppy or older dog? I'm a HS senior going on to college and my parents don't have much else to take care of/to do at home. And are beagles a decent choice?

Ronin was correct, a beagle will tend to howl. Your best bet, in my opinion, is to go to the pound and find a decent tempered dog. You'll know which dog is yours the moment you meet it.

[Lynx]

as for an older dog or a puppy, i guess it depends what you'd prefer. the puppy you can raise and train yourself, which is a lot of work but very rewarding. an older dog might already be trained, but sometimes, especially dogs from the pound, may have been abused and really finicky around certain things that they associate with that abuse (that really happened with a dog one of my family members adopted!)

[Joshua Christopher]

No! Buy a child! From the child farms in New Mexico!

[Slater]

get a female dogs. I have found that male dogs like to do nasty things to a person's leg x.o;

I've lived with female dogs for 19 years... one Norwegian elkhound, one Rhodesian Ridgeback, and currently one BlackLab/Daschund mix. Each one is a completely different breed from the others. The elkhound was very loyal, the Ridgeback was very wild (which is to be expected: these are dogs that were bred to hunt and to kill lions), and the mutt falls somewhere inbetween (meaning that she'll love you up but may need the occasional scolding for escaping the yard). Get a puppy if you can, best to raise them from youth.

[TrigunX89]

We took in a male Rottweiler from a couple family members who could no longer take care of him. He's the best.


I guess I would recommend that you go down to a local animal shelter/pound. It makes me sad to think of them having to be put to sleep.

[KBMaster]

I reccommend one from the pound. I would also suggest a mutt. They don't get as sick like purebreds do and they're nicer. I speak from experience. I had a purebred German Sheperd who growled at my dad and we had to give him away because he was sick. I have two shorkies(half shi tzu, half yorkie(see avatar for further details)) and they're nice and cute but they do chew on my nylons a lot. And the toilet paper in the bathrrom garbage. And the kitchen chairs. And each other. And the cat's face. My stuffed animals. But the german sheperd chewed up my teddy bear, my nicest church shoes, and my library card. And he STARTED the kitchen chairs. So, what is my point?
...
...
...
Dogs chew on things.
And yes, beagles do howl. Especially at their girlfriends five houses down. We think he may have been the father of her puppies. -_-; So, now we know beagle and jack russell terriers are cute! But they probably chew on everything too.

[shooraijin]

[quote="Slater"]get a female dogs. I have found that male dogs like to do nasty things to a person's leg x.o]

Quite. Male dogs are annoying, even if you neuter them early.

I don't know how large a dog you're considering. Mom has a Mini poodle, a Teacup, several Maltese and a Yorkshire terrier. We've also had a golden retriever -- a nice dog but many goldies are skittish due to inbreeding -- a Boxer, which was a nice but overly excitable dog, a chocolate Labrador which was male and behaved in the manner Slater described, and a few other dogs which were around when I was much younger.

Go to the pound and find a dog that likes you. It's cheap, you'll get a dog you'll love, and you'll save one from being put down. Make sure you have a vet check them out thoroughly after because some pounds don't give the shots correctly, or neuter/spay as promised.

[Sweet Mercury]

Quite. Male dogs are annoying, even if you neuter them early.

Indeed. Try owning a pure-bred pomeranian male who was never neutered.

[Rjdreamer]

Well, I personally like getting them as puppies. The bond there is amazing, just look at me and my Ell-ells! However, getting a puppy means you need to potty train them.
And they bark a lot at night during the first week or so, because they miss their mom.
But when you get older dogs, rarely they bond to you like puppies do, unless they had an abusive home and are experiancing love for the first time.

As for breeds, I like Golden Retrievers. If you want a dog that can be anything from a jogging buddy, to a cuddle-bunny, than a golden is the dog for you. If you want a dog that is good with kids and is the most loving dog in the universe, goldens are awesome. However, if you don't like dog that follow you everywhere, and get really depressed when you leave even for a couple hours, than you should probaly not get a golden. They get REALLY attached to their owners.

[Godly Paladin]

Speaking of which, we're going to get a Miniature Schnauzer soon. (sp?)

[Kaligraphic]

"The dog I ate last night was more tasty than your veal."

[mitsuki lover]

Just be sure the prevoius owners weren't named Excel and Hyatt!:)

[Puguni]

People are talking about beagles a lot...I heard from a friend that not only do they howl a lot, but they smell funny if you don't get the glands removed.

:O! Jindos are farm doggiess...

Anyway! Here's an awesome site I picked up a while ago: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/
It even has a "what dog is right for you?" quiz.

[Yumie]

This is random and really not exactly related, but I have a friend who has a new puppy, and get this:

It's a mix between a Rotweiler and a dauchsund.

Now, I have no idea how that worked out, but it's the cutest dog. It looks like a tiny Rotweiler that's waaaaay too long, and she falls down a lot. But I guess that I can make this post somewhat related to the topic by saying that some mutts can be really cute! (That was a stretch, right? XD)

[Da Rabid Duckie]

Dude!! Get a Welsh Corgi!! XD

[Slater]

I second the idea that you get a mutt. They are much more healthier than purebreeds due to the fact that the interbreeding among them eliminates a lot of genetic mutations that many breeds suffer from (eg, sight-loss in dalmations), and they have stronger immune systems against sicknesses which they may encounter. A mutt won't be any less affectionate or cute, and it'll cost you less.

[Da Rabid Duckie]

I second the idea that you get a mutt. They are much more healthier than purebreeds due to the fact that the interbreeding among them eliminates a lot of genetic mutations that many breeds suffer from (eg, sight-loss in dalmations), and they have stronger immune systems against sicknesses which they may encounter. A mutt won't be any less affectionate or cute, and it'll cost you less.

Very true, plus a lot of mutts look very close to the breeds they are part of so there's not much of a tradeoff in appearance. I used to have a Beagle/Fiest/Jack Russell Terrier that ended up looking like a really little Jack Russell with vertical ears. He was a cute lil bugger.

[Maledicte]

If you have a friend or a neighbor who has a dog, who is breeding, you could ask them for one.

As Slater said, try to go for the female of whatever breed. In general they're less aggressive and easier to train.

Look in your local PennySaver or the paper and look for ads for dogs. They tend to be less expensive, and local, so you can make a better assessment of how they've been raised (pet shops tend to sell "puppy mill" dogs, where they're just bred and bred like a machine and not trained in the slightest how to be around people).

[GhostontheNet]

If you have a friend or a neighbor who has a dog, who is breeding, you could ask them for one.[....]

Look in your local PennySaver or the paper and look for ads for dogs. They tend to be less expensive, and local, so you can make a better assessment of how they've been raised (pet shops tend to sell "puppy mill" dogs, where they're just bred and bred like a machine and not trained in the slightest how to be around people).

Better not methinks, pet overpopulation is already a very large problem in the cities without delibrately adding to it - the pounds would definately be the best bet. To be sure, those puppy mill scum don't know the first thing about "humane" in the least, it's just more of the application of the cold dehumanizing (for it cuts both ways) industrial process to victimize everyone involved. By no means go to a pet store for your dog, fpr if you contributed to the collapse of the puppy mills, it would be a joyous day indeed, much better to save one from the reluctant canine concentration camps, the pounds who are forced to do violent cleanup of our senseless decadence.

[Slater]

ugh... don't use the word concentration camps... reminds me of PETA's retarded campaign a while back.

[GhostontheNet]

ugh... don't use the word concentration camps... reminds me of PETA's retarded campaign a while back.

Yeah, whatever you say. I will admit PETA goes overboard, but even so, it is true that the morality or immorality of killing an animal depends on what use its life goes torwards. For this reason, when I pray before a meal, I thank God for the lives that were ended in order to feed me. In this case, the pounds are forced against their will by economic "forces" into a host of systematic liquidations (although at least painless) of an overpopulation of dogs after concentrating unwanted ones in a confined area of the size of their affording. In sociology this would be what is called a latent function, not the reason for the founding of the institution, but a definate part of its operation - that of offsetting the dysfunction created by the infrastructure of the cultural boundaries and customs concerning pets, even if through killing. It is in much the same way as charitable organizations recieving clothing donations have unwittingly and indirectly almost wiped out the textile industry (itself one of the major first steps in the process of self-directed industrialization) in Africa.

[Lady Macbeth]

Animal shelter - female - spayed - mid-sized - middle-aged.

That's all I have to say about that.

Seriously - sometimes it's hard to find that "ideal" dog, just because of circumstances. However, before you buy from a pet store or breeder, look at all of the local shelters. They get dogs in literally every week, if not more frequently.

While you're at the shelter, ask to take the dog for a walk - a good shelter will have an area to exercize the dogs in, and you'll be allowed to walk the dog there. Some shelters may require that a member of the shelter staff supervise you, but a responsible shelter will let you take the dog outside to play and get to know the temperment of the dog before you decide.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as a "good breed" or a "bad breed". You always want to ask about the temperment of the dog, why it was left at the shelter, and if it is known to be cat or dog aggressive. That cute little doggie with the big brown eyes may turn into a slobering, ravening monster at the sight of another dog or a cat.

Ask if they know the history of the dog - a beagle from an abusive household will latch onto your arm and do just as much damage as a doberman if they are of the same temper. Some dogs handle abuse better than others. We currently own a shelter-rescue who was from an abusive home. He was hit, and the woman in the house was hit, by the man of the house. As a result, he cowers if you even raise your hand to scratch your head, and he starts barking loudly and wildly if my husband goes to give me a hug or lift me up for any reason. He's a flat-coated retriever/border collie mix - another dog just like him might be even more aggressive if it came from that same background. Each dog is an individual, just like a human. However, just like humans, bad upbringings leave an indelible and permanent mark on their psyches.

Very small dogs on average tend to be also very hyperactive. Very large dogs need a lot of space and on average tend to be very energetic. Younger dogs on average tend to be more energetic than older dogs. However, again, each case is different - our dog is nine years old this year, and he has the energy of a typical two year old dog.

Always spay or neuter your pet. Always. Do not believe the myths that fixing your dog will make him/her fat and lazy. Do not believe the myth that fixing your dog will make him/her less sociable or less friendly. Do believe that fixing your dog will make him/her less likely to wander away from home, less likely to ruin furniture or carpets, and gives zero chance of unwanted pups.

[mitsuki lover]

What it comes down to is really are you looking for an indoor or outdoor pet?
If you want a indoor one then a smaller breed that doesn't shed hair as much would be perferable.If a more outdoor type then something like a husky.It also depends on how active you may be.Something like a husky or a German Sheperd would be perfect if you do a lot of outdoor stuff.On the other hand if you are more
indoor type than a smaller terrier type dog might be what you're looking for.

[USSRGirl]

AND NOT FOR DINNER!!! (it's an asian joke)

My parents and I are considering buying a dog as a pet. Now I do understand that it's not a toy and it's a responisibility yadda yadda, but what I want to know is where and how can I buy one. If I wanted a purebred, then can I only go to a breeder? or could I go to the local animal shelter? plus, even though I've read a bit on this which is better: a puppy or older dog? I'm a HS senior going on to college and my parents don't have much else to take care of/to do at home. And are beagles a decent choice?

From personal experience, PLEASE PLEASE make sure you or your parents have the money, time, and space for an animal. Otherwise, it will work out badly for both you and the dog. That said...a few answers...

I suggest you check out http://www.petfinder.com for dog listings in your area. Also, purebreads are sometimes for sale at good prices in the newspaper. That's how I got my German Shepard when he was a puppy. I would discourage you from going to a breeder or puppy mill because the litters are often ill and they generally take poor care of them. Shelters have purebreds as well, however if you are getting an older dog make sure you find out if it has any temperment problems. A puppy is more likely to bond with you since you are getting it at an early age. Beagles are cute, wonderful poochies! Hope I have been of assistance. Good luck in your puppy finding exploits, comrade!

[USSRGirl]

Oh good Lord...a PETA person....I didn't see you there when I posted, O' Tree Hugger of Infinite Wisdom.

:: Rolls over and dies of an overdose of environMENTALism ::

[Rev. Doc]

Dude!! Get a Welsh Corgi!! XD

Yeah, I'm partial to that breed. I have two Pembroke Welsh Corgis. They are great little dogs but to my wife's dismay shed a great deal.

I would suggest you go to:

http://www.akc.org/breeds/breeds_a.cfm

to give you an idea about the type of breed that might be best for your faimly and their situation.

If you are wanting a dog that is close to being pure bred and at the same time want to help out a dog in need of a home, I would suggest a rescue shelter for the breed you are interested in. For example...here is a rescue shelter listing for welsh corgis:

http://www.pembrokecorgi.org/rescue.html

A quick google search should help for your breed of choice.