[Anna]

hi! i'm 15 right now, but i'd like to ask for a dog for my 16th birthday. my dilemma is finding a breed that will work now(no double coats, anything with a ton of shedding or overly loud, do have a yard and older kids, plus a rabbit and two cats) and later(apartment possibly, small children later on in his/her life, probably still cats). i'd like a dog i could go for walks with in the fall and winter but doesn't need daily runs or anything(i live in florida. it's murder just to get the mail right now!).
any suggestions would be great!

 

[Criosphynx]

do you have anything in mind? Size a consideration?



Dog | Forum | Rocks!

 

[yogi]

At this time you would want to avoid the terriers. These are never first time dogs for anyone. High energy and can be destructive when not in the hands of experienced dog person. Italian Greyhounds and Whippets are single coat, more reserved than most people realize. Very intelligent and surprisingly not as energetic as most think.

 

[Anna]

do you have anything in mind? Size a consideration?

beagles, dachshunds, cocker & cavalier king charles spaniels and labs are all ones i've thought about, but anything that is going to be overly 'mean' to the cats or mess with the bunny(he loves everyone, including things he shouldn't. he's extremely trusting. they wouldn't be playing on their own or anything, but he's an indoor bunny...........) isn't going to work very well, so i'm not sure about the two from the hound group.......
nothing larger than a lab, being able to ride in a small(ish) car is a must, preferably the front seat.
jack russells are really cute, but i'll definitely stay away from them. thanks for the heads up yogi

 

[yogi]

beagles, dachshunds, cocker & cavalier king charles spaniels and labs are all ones i've thought about, but anything that is going to be overly 'mean' to the cats or mess with the bunny(he loves everyone, including things he shouldn't. he's extremely trusting. they wouldn't be playing on their own or anything, but he's an indoor bunny...........) isn't going to work very well, so i'm not sure about the two from the hound group.......
nothing larger than a lab, being able to ride in a small(ish) car is a must, preferably the front seat.
jack russells are really cute, but i'll definitely stay away from them. thanks for the heads up yogi

being that you have a bunny and cat, definitely avoid the terrier group which also includes the Miniature Pinscher. They have strong prey drive and see bunnies and cats as something to go after. Actually even the IG is a ferreting breed and can see small animals as prey.
Spaniels have their own issues that should be totally researched. Beagles are high energy and may want to chase a cat of bunny though may not hurt them. Dachshunds were bred to ferret and dig prey from holes. Though generally not interested in bunnys or cats, they do have the potential. Bringing a puppy in to a home with an adult cat usually puts the pup on the bottom of the pole where it learns early to disregard the cat if the cat is willing to defend itself. Other breeds to consider would be Pom's, Papillons (though both due shed some), Bichon or even Poodle. Smart and not so prone to shedding as much in addition, generally not interested hightly in the other animals in the house where they would see them as prey. More inclined to play if the cat wanted to.

 

[Anna]

being that you have a bunny and cat, definitely avoid the terrier group which also includes the Miniature Pinscher. They have strong prey drive and see bunnies and cats as something to go after. Actually even the IG is a ferreting breed and can see small animals as prey.
Spaniels have their own issues that should be totally researched. Beagles are high energy and may want to chase a cat of bunny though may not hurt them. Dachshunds were bred to ferret and dig prey from holes. Though generally not interested in bunnys or cats, they do have the potential. Bringing a puppy in to a home with an adult cat usually puts the pup on the bottom of the pole where it learns early to disregard the cat if the cat is willing to defend itself. Other breeds to consider would be Pom's, Papillons (though both due shed some), Bichon or even Poodle. Smart and not so prone to shedding as much in addition, generally not interested hightly in the other animals in the house where they would see them as prey. More inclined to play if the cat wanted to.

IG? i'd heard that pom's were really high-strung and vocal

 

[Anna]

oh, and i've also been looking at irish setters. one of my friends' grandparents breed them and they're such sweet dogs!
and what about american eskimos? not the toy ones, the miniature or standard are what i'm thinking. could they be clipped so the hair is shorter so it does make them too hot in the summer?

 

[yogi]

oh, and i've also been looking at irish setters. one of my friends' grandparents breed them and they're such sweet dogs!
and what about american eskimos? not the toy ones, the miniature or standard are what i'm thinking. could they be clipped so the hair is shorter so it does make them too hot in the summer?

Actually clipping them in summer is a misnomer. Their coats are designed to keep out both hot and cold. By clipping them or shaving only causes them to heat. We generally reserve shaving for dogs that become so matted that it is just easier to shave and let a new coat grow in.
IG, Italian Greyhound. Poms can be a little on the barky side but not always.

 

[bouvier and shepherd babe]

hi! i'm 15 right now, but i'd like to ask for a dog for my 16th birthday. my dilemma is finding a breed that will work now(no double coats, anything with a ton of shedding or overly loud, do have a yard and older kids, plus a rabbit and two cats) and later(apartment possibly, small children later on in his/her life, probably still cats). i'd like a dog i could go for walks with in the fall and winter but doesn't need daily runs or anything(i live in florida. it's murder just to get the mail right now!).
any suggestions would be great!

bichon frische or boston terrier

 

[Anna]

i'm doing a lot of thinking about what i realistically would want out of a dog and i'm thinking i really don't want something overly fluffy or cutesy.....like a clipped white poodle or a smaller dog with big fluffy fur. i'm looking for a exercise and study companion who will be ok with living in a apartment in the future and is ok with small children. i'm really thinking ahead here, but if i get a dog at 16 that lives 10/12 years, i could have kids before s/he dies. our neighbors have two bassets and had a baby two years ago and do nothing with the dogs now. i don't want to end up doing that.........
i'd just edit this into my first post, but i don't think i can. i'm sure i'll have more flashes of insight . and thanks for the help, i really, really appreciate it!

 

[BoxLove]

oh, and i've also been looking at irish setters. one of my friends' grandparents breed them and they're such sweet dogs!
and what about american eskimos? not the toy ones, the miniature or standard are what i'm thinking. could they be clipped so the hair is shorter so it does make them too hot in the summer?

Irish Setters need ALOT of exercise. They really are great dogs but I don't think apartment life would suit them.

 

[kossde]

hi! i'm 15 right now, but i'd like to ask for a dog for my 16th birthday. my dilemma is finding a breed that will work now(no double coats, anything with a ton of shedding or overly loud, do have a yard and older kids, plus a rabbit and two cats) and later(apartment possibly, small children later on in his/her life, probably still cats). i'd like a dog i could go for walks with in the fall and winter but doesn't need daily runs or anything(i live in florida. it's murder just to get the mail right now!).
any suggestions would be great!

Any dog you get is going to need daily walks and exercise. I live in Texas, and it's 100 degrees here right now but we still take our dogs out every day for a walk. Please keep this in mind when picking a breed. It doesn't matter if you get a chihuahua or a german shepherd, they will need walked.

 

[Anna]

yeah, of course. i just didn't want to not do my research enough and end up with a dog that's going to want to go-go-go all the time.
i really like the look of the spitz/husky type dogs andp!) jack russels.......any suggestions?! i know i'll probably be ending up with a mix from the shelter, so i'm trying not to get too attached to the idea of one specific breed. lab mixes seem to be really common(i've been on petfinder), what are some pros/cons about them?
oh, and anything that needs a ton of professional grooming is probably not for me....i got the april dogfancy from the library...i never even gave a passing thought to that:eyeroll:!

 

[natalie265]

Huskys and malamutes would not do well in the florida heat. Labs are super, super high energy and not good apartment dogs. A lab MIX might do better, but not necessarily. I commend you for considering adoption though! Isn't petfinder addictive?

 

[Anna]

Huskys and malamutes would not do well in the florida heat. Labs are super, super high energy and not good apartment dogs. A lab MIX might do better, but not necessarily. I commend you for considering adoption though! Isn't petfinder addictive?

ok, i wasn't sure but there's a couple in our neighborhood with two(huskys) so i figured i'd ask.
oh yeah! i've spent so much time looking at different animals on there:eyeroll:!

 

[Brandy]

I'd have to suggest a bull dog.
heres a list of diffrent breeds and what their like ,
Dogs Good with Children, Dogs Suitable for Children

 

[CheyAut]

Siberians and Malamutes are very smart, hyper, and destructive! (I know, I've had one that was a mix of the two, and currently have a purebred Malamute)

 

[DogLuvr]

beagles, dachshunds, cocker & cavalier king charles spaniels and labs are all ones i've thought about, but anything that is going to be overly 'mean' to the cats or mess with the bunny(he loves everyone, including things he shouldn't. he's extremely trusting. they wouldn't be playing on their own or anything, but he's an indoor bunny...........) isn't going to work very well, so i'm not sure about the two from the hound group.......
nothing larger than a lab, being able to ride in a small(ish) car is a must, preferably the front seat.
jack russells are really cute, but i'll definitely stay away from them. thanks for the heads up yogi

Dachshunds are great, I have one.