• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Recommend a good first dog for my wife and me. :)

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
mcurphy said:
Yes. We bought a black lab puppy from our local animal shelter, and it was the fucking stupidest dog I have ever had the displeasure of being around.

We got lucky when my sister offered to take her off our hands.
Click to expand...

Ours loved to dig and she would always dig up this one corner of our yard. I remember I used to threaten to bury her in one of those holes one day. I still have her ashes so I might just do that actually. 😀
 
german mastiff (aka great dane)
english mastiff
neapolitan mastiff
french mastiff
english bulldog
french bulldog
bloodhound
 
ugh don't get a mastiff, especially as your first dog. The amount of drool that hangs off their mouths and gets everywhere is down right disgusting. My best friend has one and he has towels all over his house to wipe the dogs mouth or clean up a giant line of drool that gets on to something. Dog comes up and puts his head on your lap and you pet him, he walks away chances are you got drooled.
 
JulesMaximus said:
Ours loved to dig and she would always dig up this one corner of our yard. I remember I used to threaten to bury her in one of those holes one day. I still have her ashes so I might just do that actually. 😀
Click to expand...

Our lab did the same thing! Digging up our back yard like she was looking for gold! We had holes and trenches all over the place within just a few months.

I finally got a tip to dump their turds in the holes and bury it with soil, and the digging soon stopped.
 
KaOTiK said:
ugh don't get a mastiff, especially as your first dog. The amount of drool that hangs off their mouths and gets everywhere is down right disgusting. My best friend has one and he has towels all over his house to wipe the dogs mouth or clean up a giant line of drool that gets on to something. Dog comes up and puts his head on your lap and you pet him, he walks away chances are you got drooled.
Click to expand...

it's only after they eat and drink or after they run around outside. just make sure you feed them outside and you have a towel to wipe the drool off their mouth before they come into the house.

it's not like they're just slobber machines that drool whenever and wherever.
 
eits said:
it's only after they eat and drink or after they run around outside. just make sure you feed them outside and you have a towel to wipe the drool off their mouth before they come into the house.

it's not like they're just slobber machines that drool whenever and wherever.
Click to expand...

My friends is. That dog has drool hanging off its mouth the majority of the time. Even worse after he drinks, ugh it is a river of drool flowing from his mouth for a bit afterwards.
 
jjsole said:
Has anyone EVER gone wrong with a lab?
Click to expand...

People with small places, no yards and not much time. Labs are wonderful dogs, my favorite breed and they deserve all the kudos they get. But in many aspects they're similar to border collies. They have a lot of energy, love attention and will cause trouble if left alone too often for too long. So they're not for everyone. Almost everyone though.
 
Labs are great dogs as first dogs but you really do need to make sure you have the time and the space for them. My sister has a pair (one adopted & one from a breeder) along with a pug. They're great dogs but they almost always want to play and they need their exercise. Be prepared to train them NOT to jump up on people. It's not that they want to hurt the person they're jumping on, it's just that they typically grow to be fairly large & strong dogs so they are quite capable of knocking people over even by accident.
 
I fostered a 9 year old male black lab for a while. He had a ball obsession and would not leave you a lone about it. That dog at 9 had more energy than most 1 year old dogs. A golden retriever is another one of those all around great first time dogs. Really the best dogs I've ever had have been mutts and the best of the best was a 100% unknown breed mix super mutt. Currently have a german/husky/norwegien or something mix and an aussie/collie or something mix.
 
KaOTiK said:
My friends is. That dog has drool hanging off its mouth the majority of the time. Even worse after he drinks, ugh it is a river of drool flowing from his mouth for a bit afterwards.
Click to expand...

my neapolitan never drools. my ex has a great dane. she never drools either. aside from whenever they eat, drunk, chew stuff, and play outside, they aren't droolers. neither was the italian mastiff (cane corso) that i had before my neapolitan mastiff.
 
Last edited:
boxer
We got a rescue and she has been a perfect fit for me and the wife. What ever breed you decide on get a rescue and avoid puppy mills.
 
I'd recommend a Retriever of some sort. If you want a dog for protection with some herding ability and very high intelligence then I'd get a German Shepard as they tend to do well if you have other pets. A Border Collie has a very high drive to it, and are very high strung dogs.

I own a pure bred Golden Retriever and a German Shepard mix. The thing I love about my Shepard is she is going on 10 years old and is just as playful as she was at a year old. Her Drive is high but manageable. I'd recommend a mixed breed dog as they tend also to be hardier and not have as many health issues as a pure bred dog.

All that being said the Shepard that I own took a lot of work in the first 6 months of owning it, Puppy classes and obediance school are a must for the breed as they can be hardheaded.
 
ghost recon88 said:
I would definitely encourage adopting for your first dog, see if you can find a dog that is a couple years old and already housebroken.
Click to expand...

For any dog rescuing is ideal.

OP...keep in mind the most intelligent dogs are actually the hardest to deal with unless you can devote a ton of time and give them a lot of stimulation.

Even 'dumb' dogs can learn all the basic commands and will end up being 'smarter' to most than that highly intelligent dog that's been neglected.

What size dog you want? Any types you like already? For a puppy, you will definitely want a crate (and when you adopt a dog, chances are they will be already used to one)...that factors into the dogs size as well.

I have owned dogs and went with a cattle dog/lab mix this time (found at 3 months old via petfinder.com) There are also tons of specific breed rescues if you insist on a purebred.

Also rescuing also gets you a pet that's usually been 'fixed', had shots and often microchipped.

My dog from the local humane society cost me all of $75, came with a weeks worth of food, 2 weeks free vet visits and treatments, microchip, all shots and free boosters for the first year, neutering, and some pretty nice coupons for his initial supplies.
 
eits said:
my dog's food is rated 3 stars?? lame. i get him nature's recipe lamb and rice for adults. $40/bag.
Click to expand...

That's why I choose D.O.'s for my orthopedic needs.

I use Wellness Core for my cattle dog and we prepare food for my diabetic corgi/golden mix.

For cat's Kirkland Feline Maintenance is a VERY HIGH quality cat food for $16ish per 25lbs. Chicken and Chicken meal are the top two ingredients. I go through a little over a bag a week for the feral cat colony on my property.
 
I've been around dogs all my life but I've never really owned one myself. My mom, brother, and sister all have dogs and are all great. My mom has a Bloodhound and a Golden Retriever, my brother has a 3 legged Border Collie and a English Springer Spaniel, and my sister has a Brittany Spaniel.

We had a few Yellow/Black Labs, a German Shorthair Pointer, and a Golden Retriever growing up but I was really young.

So basically when I say "first dog" I really mean: first dog as a family. We don't plan on having kids anytime soon but eventually (3-4ish years) we will.

We would really like to rescue one from a shelter but I would like a newborn puppy to be part of our lives the moment it enters the world. Cheesy I know but oh well lol.
 
Last edited:
Not sure if you answered this already but:

1) How much land do you have?
2) How much time do you have to devote to the dog?
3) Do you prefer a lazy dog or a hyper-active dog?

If it's your first dog I would stay away from the major working breeds (German Shepherds, Huskies, etc...), and get something like a lab or a golden retriever or a bull dog.
 
bignateyk said:
Not sure if you answered this already but:

1) How much land do you have?
2) How much time do you have to devote to the dog?
3) Do you prefer a lazy dog or a hyper-active dog?

If it's your first dog I would stay away from the major working breeds (German Shepherds, Huskies, etc...), and get something like a lab or a golden retriever or a bull dog.
Click to expand...

We personally don't have much land since we live in town but my wife's grandparents have land. We spend a lot of time out there relaxing and her uncle usually takes his Border Collie out there just to run around.

I have quite a bit of time but my wife on the other hand doesn't since she is still working on her degree. She is wanting a dog that will lay with her in bed while she does homework.

I would like a Golden Retriever since they are such great dogs and that is one of our options. There is a house down our road that has two dark red Goldens that I've been wanting to stop by and ask if they breed them. I'm not sure if that would come off as a "creeper" type move though.
 
Josh123 said:
We personally don't have much land since we live in town but my wife's grandparents have land. We spend a lot of time out there relaxing and her uncle usually takes his Border Collie out there just to run around.

I have quite a bit of time but my wife on the other hand doesn't since she is still working on her degree. She is wanting a dog that will lay with her in bed while she does homework.

I would like a Golden Retriever since they are such great dogs and that is one of our options. There is a house down our road that has two dark red Goldens that I've been wanting to stop by and ask if they breed them. I'm not sure if that would come off as a "creeper" type move though.
Click to expand...
Don't ask if they breed them, ask where they got them. If they breed them they will tell you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top