Hello! I'm new here and do not yet have a dog. I'm still very much in the researching phase, but come next summer, I will have approximately 3 months of minimal out-of-house responsibilities (maybe 2-3 hours a day, max - I'm a graduate student and in the summer I can mainly work from home) and will be living in a dog-friendly apartment. Basically, I believe I can finally get a dog!
I, however, have never had a dog or any other pet before and am trying to make sure that I'm getting the correct dog for me.
I'm relatively active (walking, hiking, backpacking, that sort of thing - not running!), but once I graduate with my masters, I'll be getting a standard full-time job. I have a boyfriend, but we are currently long distance. Once I graduate, we'll (hopefully!) be moving together again. He also will work full time and is on board with getting a dog. However, once we begin working full time, we should be able to afford a dog walker.
I will be living in an apartment, and therefore no fenced yard (even if I lived in a house, there wouldn't be a fence - it's simply not done in my current city). However, I do live in the middle of nowhere (Upper Peninsula of Michigan) and have loads of opportunities for hikes and swims in lakes.
Some of my favorite dogs are Australian Shepherds, Shelties, Collies, Samoyeds, Huskies, etc. They look like dogs and just act like dogs should act, IMO! I'd be willing to go on 2-3 walks a day with additional training/play time.
My boyfriend has vetoed "little yappy dogs" (somewhat of a macho thing - he doesn't want to walk a 'girly' dog) and I'd prefer to stay away from dogs that might have breed restrictions as we will likely be moving fairly frequently due to location dependent jobs.
Anyone have any tips for me?
A good first time breed?
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Re: A good first time breed?
I would hold off, if I were you, just a bit longer.. Until you guys are just a little more settled. Frequent moving alone will be difficult on your dog, dogs feel best when there is established routine. Dogs are not just a couple of walks per day, at the beginning it's 24x7 attention with a lot of sacrifices.. Social life takes back seat, as well as many other activities that people enjoy (going with friends to movies, sleeping late, getting away for the weekend, etc etc)...
Going from no dog to having a dog is a gigantic change in lifestyle, regardless of what kind of dog it is. While it's surely possible to make that kind of commitment, I would for the time being just enjoy life, get focused on the initial stages of your careers, spend time with your friends, enjoy freedom to move around having no strong attachments to any particular place.. You don't get to be young twice. And when you are a bit more settled, and have stability, then get a dog, it will make more sense for you guys, and it will be a better deal for the dog (compared to frequent relocations, for example). Just my 2 cents.. Not to discourage you, but perhaps to think - is the timing really optimal?
And who knows, your boyfriend may even change his mind on "little yappy girly dogs", all it takes is just spending a tiny bit of time with the right one of them to fall in love.
And to be constructive, here is a recent thread on the similar subject -> viewtopic.php?f=23&t=15367.
Going from no dog to having a dog is a gigantic change in lifestyle, regardless of what kind of dog it is. While it's surely possible to make that kind of commitment, I would for the time being just enjoy life, get focused on the initial stages of your careers, spend time with your friends, enjoy freedom to move around having no strong attachments to any particular place.. You don't get to be young twice. And when you are a bit more settled, and have stability, then get a dog, it will make more sense for you guys, and it will be a better deal for the dog (compared to frequent relocations, for example). Just my 2 cents.. Not to discourage you, but perhaps to think - is the timing really optimal?
And who knows, your boyfriend may even change his mind on "little yappy girly dogs", all it takes is just spending a tiny bit of time with the right one of them to fall in love.
And to be constructive, here is a recent thread on the similar subject -> viewtopic.php?f=23&t=15367.
Re: A good first time breed?
Hi and welcome to the forum! You have found the best place on the internet for information on positive dog training and life with dogs. And you are here before you have your dog so you have tons of time to read and learn. (Check out the recommended reading in the training section for good sources of information outside this forum.)
I agree with Ari_RR that you have to think about getting a dog really thoroughly since it is a huge change in lifestyle, almost like getting a baby. But of course similarly there is never really a perfect time to get one.
As for the breeds it is about personal preferences and also about what the breeds were bred to do. I personally would not get like a husky because they are bred to run (and you said you don't like running...) and otherwise are quite an ancient breed and maybe not so eager to please. Collies and such on the other hand are bred to co-operate with people more closely, but they also have huge amounts of energy and get bored easily as they are so smart. Of course any dog you get will require loads of time. But that time will be super great if you are prepared with a positive attitude.
One thing to think about is where you are going to get the dog so as not to fall victim to puppy mills. A reputable breeder would likely already know, if they plan to have puppies next spring. So if you want your dog at a specific time, you should start looking early. Mixed breeds can also be great, but it might be harder to find them from like a trustworthy source so as to get to meet the father and mother and really know what sort of mix it is.
I agree with Ari_RR that you have to think about getting a dog really thoroughly since it is a huge change in lifestyle, almost like getting a baby. But of course similarly there is never really a perfect time to get one.
As for the breeds it is about personal preferences and also about what the breeds were bred to do. I personally would not get like a husky because they are bred to run (and you said you don't like running...) and otherwise are quite an ancient breed and maybe not so eager to please. Collies and such on the other hand are bred to co-operate with people more closely, but they also have huge amounts of energy and get bored easily as they are so smart. Of course any dog you get will require loads of time. But that time will be super great if you are prepared with a positive attitude.
One thing to think about is where you are going to get the dog so as not to fall victim to puppy mills. A reputable breeder would likely already know, if they plan to have puppies next spring. So if you want your dog at a specific time, you should start looking early. Mixed breeds can also be great, but it might be harder to find them from like a trustworthy source so as to get to meet the father and mother and really know what sort of mix it is.
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Re: A good first time breed?
You've gotten some great thoughts on this so far, but I have to also say that if we waited for the perfect time to get a dog (or have kids), most of us would probably never be pet owners or parents! 
Anyway, as Ari wisely states, there are a lot of great reasons to wait, but if now is the time for you then I think you might make it all work better to get an adult dog versus a puppy. This can have pitfalls too if you get a dog with too much baggage for you to deal with (there's a reason many adult dogs are in need of a new home, and it's often because they were allowed to get out of control behaviorally by their previous owner, which would be as time consuming to deal with as having a puppy right now).
But if you take your time, do your breed homework (both of these you're already doing, so kudos to you!!), and seek out an adult dog that isn't a huge behavioral challenge, I think you'll do just fine with bringing a dog into your life, especially since you mention having a dog walker during the day - that's great right there!
These are just my thoughts on this. Good luck and let us know how it all turns out for you.
Anyway, as Ari wisely states, there are a lot of great reasons to wait, but if now is the time for you then I think you might make it all work better to get an adult dog versus a puppy. This can have pitfalls too if you get a dog with too much baggage for you to deal with (there's a reason many adult dogs are in need of a new home, and it's often because they were allowed to get out of control behaviorally by their previous owner, which would be as time consuming to deal with as having a puppy right now).But if you take your time, do your breed homework (both of these you're already doing, so kudos to you!!), and seek out an adult dog that isn't a huge behavioral challenge, I think you'll do just fine with bringing a dog into your life, especially since you mention having a dog walker during the day - that's great right there!
These are just my thoughts on this. Good luck and let us know how it all turns out for you.
My avatar is Piper, my sweet Pembroke Corgi. b. 5/11/11
Re: A good first time breed?
I'm afraid I agree with ari here. It's not that I don't think you could and would look after a dog but what if you are required to move and can't find a dog friendly flat to rent?
I made sacrifices to keep my dog/s. the dog dictated where I went to Uni, where I lived whilst at Uni, and where i wamted to go after uni. when buying a house main considerations were proximity to dog walking spots. My social life has suffered as a result since I live out of town and my friends were all in town. I can't stay out after work coz I have to get back to walk and feed the dogs etc.
It's a real life changing experience and so you need to be sure you a prepared for that. There's no more just booking a holiday because you have to take the dog too or find somewhere for it to stay.
Moving house in itself is not too bad for dogs I don't think, but finding dog friendly accommodation can be a nightmare and dog friendly accommodation with good dog walks nearby even worse. What if you have a long commute to work (as I do) this may mean walking the dog alone in the dark at some times of year. How safe is the area to do this?
Also the dogs you've listed as preferences are VERY demanding dogs. Any dog can be a first time dog but be sure to do the research, know from the start about how to go about training and how much exercise they need. With a large dog you are looking at 2-3 hours a day minimum. I know many rescues that wont rehome huskies or collies to people without prior breed experience because they are seriously hard work. I'd suggest that before you get a dog you try and do 2 - 3 walks a day on your own to realise just what commitment this takes. Enjoying hiking is great, but I presume this is at weekends mostly. It's totally different trying to fit in an hours walk in the morning, and another hour when you get home and you are tired and want to sit and relax and have dinner. If its raining or muddy or snow you still have to go out.
Is hair everywhere an issue? Samoyeds need regular grooming as get matted very quickly.
Best thing is to list realistically how much time a day you are prepared to devote to training, grooming, walking and then work out what breeds suit you best. Money is the other consideration. Dog ownership is expensive. What if, after graduating you don't find a job immediately, say it takes 3-6 months. How do you afford the dogs food, vet bills, insurance?
What if you are in rented apartment and the dog wees on the carpet or chews something and you have to pay to replace it?
I made sacrifices to keep my dog/s. the dog dictated where I went to Uni, where I lived whilst at Uni, and where i wamted to go after uni. when buying a house main considerations were proximity to dog walking spots. My social life has suffered as a result since I live out of town and my friends were all in town. I can't stay out after work coz I have to get back to walk and feed the dogs etc.
It's a real life changing experience and so you need to be sure you a prepared for that. There's no more just booking a holiday because you have to take the dog too or find somewhere for it to stay.
Moving house in itself is not too bad for dogs I don't think, but finding dog friendly accommodation can be a nightmare and dog friendly accommodation with good dog walks nearby even worse. What if you have a long commute to work (as I do) this may mean walking the dog alone in the dark at some times of year. How safe is the area to do this?
Also the dogs you've listed as preferences are VERY demanding dogs. Any dog can be a first time dog but be sure to do the research, know from the start about how to go about training and how much exercise they need. With a large dog you are looking at 2-3 hours a day minimum. I know many rescues that wont rehome huskies or collies to people without prior breed experience because they are seriously hard work. I'd suggest that before you get a dog you try and do 2 - 3 walks a day on your own to realise just what commitment this takes. Enjoying hiking is great, but I presume this is at weekends mostly. It's totally different trying to fit in an hours walk in the morning, and another hour when you get home and you are tired and want to sit and relax and have dinner. If its raining or muddy or snow you still have to go out.
Is hair everywhere an issue? Samoyeds need regular grooming as get matted very quickly.
Best thing is to list realistically how much time a day you are prepared to devote to training, grooming, walking and then work out what breeds suit you best. Money is the other consideration. Dog ownership is expensive. What if, after graduating you don't find a job immediately, say it takes 3-6 months. How do you afford the dogs food, vet bills, insurance?
What if you are in rented apartment and the dog wees on the carpet or chews something and you have to pay to replace it?
My Blog: www.terriertreks.wordpress.com/
Re: A good first time breed?
make sure you have the time and money for a dog. it takes a lot of time and
consistency to train and socialize. i think the first couple of years and the last years
are the most expensive years. having the time for the dog is so important.
consistency to train and socialize. i think the first couple of years and the last years
are the most expensive years. having the time for the dog is so important.
