[Groove's in Heart]

hi! i just joined this site because i'm in the market for my first dog. suggestions welcome! i'll be doing a lot of research.

[cigwyllt]

I am not a good person to answer questions like this - I have an overwhelming passion for Jack Russell Terriers and would recommend one to just about anybody. A huge character in a tiny body!

But what is your lifestyle like - active/quiet? Busy social life? Out at work or stay at home? Children? Tell us a bit about yourself and I'm sure everyone will be finding reasons why "their" breed is perfect for you!

[Yogi]

Originally Posted by cigwyllt

I am not a good person to answer questions like this - I have an overwhelming passion for Jack Russell Terriers and would recommend one to just about anybody. A huge character in a tiny body!

But what is your lifestyle like - active/quiet? Busy social life? Out at work or stay at home? Children? Tell us a bit about yourself and I'm sure everyone will be finding reasons why "their" breed is perfect for you!

As cigwyllt put it there is much to know before getting a dog not just about yourself but about the breed of dog that will work with you. Far to many dogs end up in rescues and shelters each year all because someone got a dog based on looks instead of researching to see if the breed would even fit their lifestyle. As with people, dogs are all different and diverse. Adding, your home situation whether apartment or house. Fenced yard etc. These are all important.
There are sites on the net based on your living situation and lifestyle that can help match the appropriate breeds with the way you live.

[Todd]

Hello and welcome to the forum! Glad to have you!

Yes, as stated above choosing a dog breed will depend on your lifestyle. Are you looking for a high energy dog who requires a lot of exercise? Do you like to walk, run, hike, etc? If so, a high energy dog may be right for you. Are you looking for a dog that had very low energy and requires very low exercise needs? Are you a couch potatoe who want a dog to cuddle with but not be active with? If so, a low energy dog is for you. Are you a person who just want a dog in between? If so a moderate energy dog is for you. Do you want a dog that you'rwe going to have to spend a lot of time grooming? If you don't, get a shorthaired dog not a longer heaired dog which requires regular grooming. Do you want a dog good with children? Do you want a dog that will protect or guard your property? Here are some breed specific options from a website. 5 group being the highest energy and 2 being the lowest;

5 (Highest)
Affenpinscher
Airedale Terrier
American Foxhound
Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Shepherd
Belgian Malinois
Belgian Sheepdog
Belgian Tervuren
Berger Picard
Border Collie
Boxer
Boykin Spaniel Brittany
Dalmatian
Field Spaniel
Flat-Coated Retriever
German Shorthaired Pointer
German Wirehaired Pointer
Goldador
Golden Retriever
Gordon Setter
Harrier
Irish Red and White Setter
Irish Setter Irish Water Spaniel
Jack Russell Terrier
Labradoodle
Labrador Retriever
Miniature Pinscher
Pointer
Pyrenean Shepherd
Schipperke
Standard Schnauzer
Weimaraner

4
Alaskan Malamute
American English Coonhound
American Eskimo Dog
American Water Spaniel
Appenzeller Sennenhunde
Australian Terrier
Barbet
Beagle
Black and Tan Coonhound
Bluetick Coonhound
Border Terrier
Boston Terrier
Bouvier des Flandres
Briard
Bull Terrier
Cairn Terrier
Canaan Dog
Catahoula Leopard Dog
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Cocker Spaniel
Curly-Coated Retriever
English Cocker Spaniel
English Foxhound
English Setter
English Springer Spaniel Finnish Lapphund
Finnish Spitz
Fox Terrier
German Pinscher
German Shepherd Dog
Giant Schnauzer
Glen of Imaal Terrier
Goldendoodle
Irish Terrier
Kerry Blue Terrier
Kooikerhondje
Kuvasz
Lakeland Terrier
Lancashire Heeler
Leonberger
Manchester Terrier
Miniature Schnauzer
Norfolk Terrier
Norwegian Buhund
Norwegian Elkhound
Norwegian Lundehund
Norwich Terrier
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Old English Sheepdog
Pembroke Welsh Corgi Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
Plott
Pocket Beagle
Polish Lowland Sheepdog
Poodle
Portuguese Water Dog
Puli
Redbone Coonhound
Saluki
Schnoodle
Scottish Terrier
Shetland Sheepdog
Siberian Husky
Silky Terrier
Small Munsterlander Pointer
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Stabyhoun
Tibetan Terrier
Treeing Tennessee Brindle
Treeing Walker Coonhound
Vizsla
Welsh Springer Spaniel
Welsh Terrier
Whippet
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

3
Afghan Hound
Akita
American Pit Bull Terrier
Anatolian Shepherd Dog
Azawakh
Basenji
Bearded Collie
Bedlington Terrier
Bichon Frise
Black Russian Terrier
Bloodhound
Bolognese
Borzoi
Bracco Italiano
Brussels Griffon
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cesky Terrier
Chihuahua
Clumber Spaniel
Cockapoo
Collie
Coton de Tulear Dachshund
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Doberman Pinscher
English Toy Spaniel
Entlebucher Mountain Dog
Great Dane
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
Greyhound
Havanese
Ibizan Hound
Icelandic Sheepdog
Italian Greyhound
Keeshond
Komondor
Lowchen
Maltese
Maltese Shih Tzu
Maltipoo
Newfoundland
Otterhound
Papillon
Peekapoo Pharaoh Hound
Pomeranian
Pug
Puggle
Rat Terrier
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Rottweiler
Samoyed
Scottish Deerhound
Sealyham Terrier
Shiba Inu
Skye Terrier
Sloughi
Staffordshire-Bull-Terrier
Sussex Spaniel
Tibetan Mastiff
Tibetan Spaniel
Toy Fox Terrier
West Highland White Terrier
Yorkipoo
Yorkshire Terrier

2
Basset Hound
Bernese Mountain Dog
Bulldog
Bullmastiff
Chinese Crested
Chinese Shar-Pei
Chinook Chow Chow
Dogue de Bordeaux
French Bulldog
Great Pyrenees
Irish Wolfhound
Japanese Chin
Lhasa Apso Mastiff
Neapolitan Mastiff
Pekingese
Saint Bernard
Shih Tzu

As far as short haired and long hair dogs go, if you find a dog fitting to your energy level, then search for its size and coat legnth online and you'll find more info.

Good luck!

[Yogi]

Ok Todd, that is overload. You can just provide the link for them to look at themselves. Not to mention there is more to this than just lifestyle but also
where they reside. Miniature Pinschers are rated the 3rd worst breed for an apartment. Lifestyle includes where one resides as accommodating the dog to an environment suitable is just as important as how the dog fits with ones lifestyle with regards to their activity level.
First look at where you live, then from there research the sites that provide dogs that suit the living environment. Once there than view the dogs to see how they match your lifestyle. It is a weeding out process that in the end is well worth it considering this is a lifetime commitment. Good luck.

[Lara's mom]

Living in an apartment isn't really such an issue if you have places nearby where your dogs can run. My lot are very happy curb dwellers with a nice yard to play in.

[Groove's in Heart]

Hey thanks for the responses!

Here's a little more info to narrow it down:

I live in a residential neighborhood and have a fenced back yard...not large, maybe a 10th of an acre fenced in. My husband and I are very active - jogging, walking, hiking all. I don't want to invest a lot of money and time into grooming. I also would like a dog that relates well with strangers (and eventually children) as we have parties and visitors frequently. Right now, both of us work, so we can't be home a lot of the work day, but I could make it home at lunch to let him out.

I suppose I want a dog that will love to play with us, but will also be trainable for social activities.

Any breed suggestions? Thanks again!!!

[Yogi]

Originally Posted by Lara's mom

Living in an apartment isn't really such an issue if you have places nearby where your dogs can run. My lot are very happy curb dwellers with a nice yard to play in.

I think you are missing the point, in the Miniature Pinscher there is a natural guarding instinct that leads to barking at noises. Apartments simply create the environment where this occurs. In turn complaints occur. It is not a exercise issue though many in fact become lazy owners and this breed needs a secured yard at their disposal on a regular basis. The study of breeds suitable for apts, houses and both was done over a 20 years period which has greatly helped those in choosing the proper breed for the living condition. Mine are never sold to anything less than acreage, no apartments and have thrived. In addition, Miniature Pinschers at least those true to the breed can and will easily destroy an apartment. For the record, this breed is more prone to digging than even a JRT if true to its breed and find carpet, hardwood floors, and sheet rock walls as something put there for their enjoyment. Thus another reason why it is essential that they be crated when not at home. Their curiosity without a doubt gets the better of them and usually finds the landlord not pleased. The assumption of dogs having to be under a certain weight to qualify for apartment management approval is simply stupid. There are many large breeds that are fine in apartment living where there are small breeds that simply are not. Terriers on the whole require a free yard at their disposal to satisfy their natural prey drive not just exercise ie: running around. Giving them their own yard space where they are not competing with other dogs unknown to them keeps them in the realm for which they were created and avoids distractions from the hunt. Granted, once on the hunt most terriers could care less about other dogs for that matter even recall is generally redundant.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Yogi

Ok Todd, that is overload. You can just provide the link for them to look at themselves. Not to mention there is more to this than just lifestyle but also
where they reside. Miniature Pinschers are rated the 3rd worst breed for an apartment. Lifestyle includes where one resides as accommodating the dog to an environment suitable is just as important as how the dog fits with ones lifestyle with regards to their activity level.
First look at where you live, then from there research the sites that provide dogs that suit the living environment. Once there than view the dogs to see how they match your lifestyle. It is a weeding out process that in the end is well worth it considering this is a lifetime commitment. Good luck.

Well I'd appreciate if you'd let me know this via pm in the future rather than embarrase me in open forum. Just rying to help. It took me a while to find that list and I don't appreciate being told something is overload in open forum. Thanks.

[Yogi]

Originally Posted by Todd

Well I'd appreciate if you'd let me know this via pm in the future rather than embarrase me in open forum. Just rying to help. It took me a while to find that list and I don't appreciate being told something is overload in open forum. Thanks.

Sorry Todd for not putting a smiley face on the end of the post. I meant to and was not meant in anyway to embarrass you...:

[Lara's mom]

I've never had a problem with either of my Jacks wrecking things in my apartment except for their stuffed toys. As for digging...well...lets just say that my superintendent frequently mutters about the possibility of gophers having invaded the park! On the whole though, they are good apartment dogs. They do bark when someone knocks at the door or makes a racket but, so do all the other dogs in the building. I make sure they get lots of off leash running and playing time.

Of course, my Border Collie X Bailey is the perfect angel and never does anything wrong...

[cigwyllt]

So you want a dog with stamina, sociable, obedient but not overly active?

The only other breed I have experience of is the Golden Retriever. Ours was the perfect family dog. She belonged to my son (he was only two at the time but they decided they belonged to each other!) She would keep going all day when we were out and about - usually covering three or four times the distance we walked, loved swimming and being outdoors. But once at home she would be a hearthrug or, if she was allowed, a lap dog! When we first had her our son could barely see over the top of her back if she curled up across him in the armchair but he loved to have his girl to sit with him.

She was gentle, happy, friendly to everyone and we still miss her. She died peacefully in her sleep when she and my son were both 15.

One thing I would say is that you would be better off with a young adult rather than a pup as house training could be a nightmare if you are not at home all day.

[Yogi]

Originally Posted by Lara's mom

I've never had a problem with either of my Jacks wrecking things in my apartment except for their stuffed toys. As for digging...well...lets just say that my superintendent frequently mutters about the possibility of gophers having invaded the park! On the whole though, they are good apartment dogs. They do bark when someone knocks at the door or makes a racket but, so do all the other dogs in the building. I make sure they get lots of off leash running and playing time.

Of course, my Border Collie X Bailey is the perfect angel and never does anything wrong...

Good one, that's right...blame it on the gophers.....

[Todd]

Originally Posted by cigwyllt

So you want a dog with stamina, sociable, obedient but not overly active?

The only other breed I have experience of is the Golden Retriever. Ours was the perfect family dog. She belonged to my son (he was only two at the time but they decided they belonged to each other!) She would keep going all day when we were out and about - usually covering three or four times the distance we walked, loved swimming and being outdoors. But once at home she would be a hearthrug or, if she was allowed, a lap dog! When we first had her our son could barely see over the top of her back if she curled up across him in the armchair but he loved to have his girl to sit with him.

She was gentle, happy, friendly to everyone and we still miss her. She died peacefully in her sleep when she and my son were both 15.

One thing I would say is that you would be better off with a young adult rather than a pup as house training could be a nightmare if you are not at home all day.

The OP said they'd want a breed with little grooming. Goldens generally have logn coats which could mean quite a bit of grooming. What about a labrador instead?

[cigwyllt]

Labs shed like crazy - guess it's a case of cleaning up shed hair from a smoothy like a lab or the occasional brushing for a long haired dog. My smooth girls (terrier/mongrel) shed and make far more mess than my long haired boy.

[CorkyMax]

Quote/Todd: The OP said they'd want a breed with little grooming. Goldens generally have logn coats which could mean quite a bit of grooming. What about a labrador instead?

My Corky is part Golden Retriever and part Cocker Spaniel. Thank God he appears to have taken after the Golden for the nice feathered coat he has. I think his coat is easy to take care of! Now my pure Cocker Spaniel is very bad for the coat.

Just my experience!

[Lara's mom]

Originally Posted by Yogi

Good one, that's right...blame it on the gophers.....

I have a feeling that the superintendent has his suspicions as to who is responsible for the "unauthorized gardening" but, he's a dog lover so, as long as people religiously pick up the poop, he just mutters about gophers and lets it go at that.

[Yogi]

Originally Posted by Lara's mom

I have a feeling that the superintendent has his suspicions as to who is responsible for the "unauthorized gardening" but, he's a dog lover so, as long as people religiously pick up the poop, he just mutters about gophers and lets it go at that.

Now that is a great super...

[cigwyllt]

Perhaps the dogs are looking for the gophers, performing their civic duty?

[GSDS4Life]

Originally Posted by Groove's in Heart

Hey thanks for the responses!

I also would like a dog that relates well with strangers (and eventually children) as we have parties and visitors frequently.

I suppose I want a dog that will love to play with us, but will also be trainable for social activities.

Any breed suggestions? Thanks again!!!

What all this boils down to is trainig and socialization.. If you plan on having children,then the dog must be socialized with kids of all ages. Socializing is a HUGE thing. Lack of it causes huge problems in dogs.

I have 4 GSD's. They are very social dogs with everyone. They are far from aggressive. They LOVE kids. And to be honest, I think everyone comes over to see the dogs and not us.LOL. Even when we get invited to homes, we are asked to bring them with us. And one of them is a Police Dog.

Have you checked out your local shelters or rescues?