Looking for a dog!

kurtis

Member
Jan 24, 2000
101
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What kind of dog do you all have? Advantages/disadvantages? Want to get
a small to medium house dog thats friendly to strangers/kids, obedient,
doesn't bark a lot, and sheds lightly. I hope I'm not asking for too much
but just thought I'd check with all of you.
 

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
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Bulldog or pug :)

Beagle? No way. Too instinctive of an animal to train well and bark a lot.
 

Atrail

Diamond Member
Apr 20, 2001
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I have always wanted a Shar Pei.

Is there a particular breed that does not mind being alone too much?
 

Parrotheader

Diamond Member
Dec 22, 1999
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That's pretty much what we wanted too. We ended up getting a Border Terrier after doing a lot of research.

We originally thought that they would be a little TOO small, but he's a perfect size IMO - about 20lbs, big enough to take care of himself, but small enough to curl up with you on the couch. He's the same breed as the dog in Something About Mary and most people say he looks a lot like Benji. The breed's generally a lot better with kids and other dogs in comparison to most terrier breeds and Borders tend to not shed much (ours hardly sheds at all.) How loud they are varies from dog to dog. Ours hardly ever says a peep, but then again we live in a house (no neighbor noise to get him riled up) and there's no other dogs in the house for him to get hyped up. The only drawback is that they're a relatively unknown breed and difficult to find here in the US. We'd love another one, but our next dog will probably be one that we save from the dog pound.
 

Parrotheader

Diamond Member
Dec 22, 1999
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Originally posted by: Gr1mL0cK
My dogs.

A Beagle sounds to fit what you're looking for. :) And I don't consider it a rat dog.
I LOVE Beagles - super sweet personalities. But I've NEVER met a quiet one. They've definitely got hound blood in them and will bark/howl with the best of them.

 

TuffGirl

Platinum Member
Jan 20, 2001
2,797
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I heard that in general, female dogs bark more so than male ones. Is that true?
 
Jan 25, 2001
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Get a female Schnauzer without the ears cut when they're young (ears cut makes them look stupid). They're very cute w/out ears cut, small to medium size, family friendly, obedient, protective of family, and DOESN'T shed--plus, a MUCH better attitude than the other non-shedding dog--the poodle (I know since I had poddles before).
 

Dragnov

Diamond Member
Apr 24, 2001
6,878
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Yeah, Beagles do bark a lot. But he wanted a dog, not some nasty deformed rat dog. ;)
 

AMDJunkie

Diamond Member
Dec 6, 1999
3,431
5
81
Get a basenji. Cute, don't shed alot, don't bark, and rather friendly. Just note that usually the females are more aggressive than the males, and they should be trained as soon as possible, they're smart enough to rife through your stuff but stubborn.
 

AreaCode707

Lifer
Sep 21, 2001
18,447
133
106
Probably not the size you're looking for, and don't get one unless you're sure, but Great Danes are wonderful dogs. Not much on the barking usually, very sweet and gentle with kids, low energy sleep-alot dogs, dumb and trainable, tend to do what you ask without thinking up anything clever to add to it. Short hair, so shedding is minimum. Better than living with these darn cats!
 

Bignate603

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
13,897
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I have a yorkshire terrier. He's a great little guy. The only thing is that he will bark at strangers when they first come in. Once he knows they are allowed in there (aka you talk to them, or pick him up and show them to him) he'll calm down.

There is one major advantage to him, he doesn't shed. I'm not talking like he sheds a little, he doesn't shed AT ALL. You have to give him a haircut more often because the hair keeps on growing but I think that is fine, considering the advantages of not shedding, especially for me. See, I'm allergic to dogs. However, because he doesn't shed he doesn't bug me. I can rub my face on his fur and it won't bug me, if I do that on any other breed my eyes swell and itch and I'll have my chest tighten up.

The other advantage of the little guy is he's so cute.

Take a look for your self
Here he is, he doesn't like the flash

this is the best headshot we could get of him, he won't look at the camera when it's close

Here he is standing up

Here he is standing at the top of the stairs


We got him from a local breeder. His family is a line of show dogs but we got him cheap for 3 reasons

1. He's big, in that breed show dogs are more desirable small
2. He's a he, females are more expensive because they can have puppies
3. We promised to get him neutered and not breed him
 

shootinyou

Senior member
Jun 12, 2001
947
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Rotties, Had two but female had hip problems,so had to have her put
to sleep. Male is about 110lbs is AKC registered and goes by the name
of Bronson (charles that is) He's a great dog. WUFF:D
 

thedarkwolf

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 1999
9,030
123
106
How about a Basset Hound?
They are a big small dog if that makes sense, a manly small dog. All they ones I have every been around seemed to be pretty laid back and lazy and they do have short hair so shedding shouldn't be bad. And most importantly nobody will think you are a big pansy when you are walking one ;).
 

Talon02

Senior member
Mar 17, 2002
486
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We Have a Fox Terrier, really smart and doesn't shed much, house and kennel trained by the time he was 2 months old, awesome little dog, but he hates to be cold.
 

jinduy

Diamond Member
Jan 24, 2002
4,781
1
81
i didn't want to create a repeated topic so i'm going to bump this one...anyone have anymore suggestions? aesthetically speaking, i love the look of a siberian husky (needs too much exercise and i cant always be there to jog with it) and a pembroke welsh corgi (i hear they are antsy and like to bite people since they want to herd them and shed like a mofogidydoo) ...size is not much of an issue as long as it's from small to medium (preferably small though). Pretty much i want the characteristics like kurtis (the thread starter)



Want to get
a small to medium house dog thats friendly to strangers/kids, obedient,
doesn't bark a lot, and sheds lightly. I hope I'm not asking for too much
but just thought I'd check with all of you.



any more ideas fellow ATOTians ?
 

cavemanmoron

Lifer
Mar 13, 2001
13,664
28
91
how large a house/and Yard do you have?
is it fenced in?
do you have a nice lawn garden?

the smaller the house etc,the samller the dog you want,
Trust me, been there

no more dogs for me, way too much time,involved
i want to Not worry if i have to work overtime,
not fair to have an animal locked in the house for 24 hours,
{it never did happen,but,now that i live alone,if i still had a dog....}
 

cavemanmoron

Lifer
Mar 13, 2001
13,664
28
91
Originally posted by: kurtis
What kind of dog do you all have? Advantages/disadvantages? Want to get
a small to medium house dog thats friendly to strangers/kids, obedient,
doesn't bark a lot, and sheds lightly. I hope I'm not asking for too much
but just thought I'd check with all of you.

this sounds like you want a big cat LOL


 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
Originally posted by: cavemanmoron
Originally posted by: kurtis
What kind of dog do you all have? Advantages/disadvantages? Want to get
a small to medium house dog thats friendly to strangers/kids, obedient,
doesn't bark a lot, and sheds lightly. I hope I'm not asking for too much
but just thought I'd check with all of you.

this sounds like you want a big cat LOL

Cat? Obedient? Heh...riiight... ;) :p

Other than that..yeah, get a cat :D