Which kind of dog?

I may get a dog. I've been thinking about it for a while. The options at the shelter are: shepherd mix, hound, or coonhound. They are so cute! I know its allot of work, but I really think I want one. Which dogs are best for a single gal who has a backyard.

I would suggest the shepherd mix, unless it's with a pitt bull, then not. The Hounds are rather noisy, like to hunt, and dig they take more work training. The sherpherd will protect you nearly from the start, and is more trainable. Of course, it's bigger, will eat more and clean up after is more of a chore.

I would pick a shepherd mix, there good for protection and make great foot warmer at night
Angie

Shepherd mix has my vote too gl!

kd

We have a beagle. I love her to death. She's perfect for us. Very friendly...a real people dog. Lulu isn't loud...unless she's mad, which isn't too often. She does bury everything though.

I worry about "protective" dogs. My cousin has one that is protective actually, he's down right mean.

I would go see which one is the best fit for you. Congrats on your new family member!

I'd go with the hound if it is a mix. The coonhound will be very smart and a lot of work to train and control. The shepherd mix is loyal but can be so loyal that it can be too protective if challenged. You may never be able to have friends come over if you live with the dog alone.
The hound will be easily trained, controllable, and not averse to being on a leash all the time. Many other dogs don't like the leash and fight against it. Hounds enjoy structure, so training is a MUST with this type of dog. Strict control is something they thrive on and in fact, need.

Good luck. Whatever you choose, train the dog well so that it stays safe in any environment.
Tina

I'd go with a chihuahua because they are just so darn cute!

Hello Esther --

I would try to find out what the shepherd is mixed with. That will make a difference. I also would find out all I can about each dog's past history. For example, a friend has a cute small Jack Russell terrier. But now that the children are grown and she is home alone all day, she makes some mischief from time to time. She needs a family, and my friend would like to find one for her. Some people would just put the dog in the shelter. Such a dog would not be ideal for a single gal, even though she is very sweet.

Shepherd's are a "working" breed. It has a good chance of being very trainable and knowing some things about how to get along with people by instinct.

Whatever dog you get, I would be sure to go to dog training with it. Dogs love the attention they get in training, and it really builds a strong bond between the owner and pet. Training is not so much discipline anymore as motivating with love, praise and lots of treats. Petsmart has affordable classes, and there are dog obedience training clubs in some places.

Spend some time with the dog if the shelter will let you, before you take it home; time with each dog if you have to -- if you can bear to do so without taking all 3 home! And in the end, go with your heart.

I'd go with the one that you like the best!!!! I think a person can tell when a dog picks a "human".....check them out, spend some time with each one and try to go out into a closed yard with them, one at a time. See how they respond to you, noises, other people. I've had each kind and I loved them all. The shepherd mix was born to guard me. That was a tiny problem at first, but she was easily trained. The hounds I love because I like their personalities and their soft, long ears!! Check them out!! Good Luck. Pat

W2F made a good point. Shepherds are working dog. Many get restless and mischeivious if they don't get to "work".

My cousin's border collies go nuts if they can't be outside and play most of the day.

Don't know any of those. We have a lab and we think shepherd mix, she's so nice, cute, and bubbly. ^_^ Dogs can be trained, it can be a fun experience so don't let that deter you~!

I like huskys myself. :3 Good luck!

We have 4 dogs. A Golden retriever, a husky chocolate lab mix, a black lab and a coon hound mix. I also teach dog training obediance classes.
The coon hound is very hard to train to come and stay. They get the nose to the ground and go! They are very smart though. If they hound is Beagle it would not be as big a problem.

Labs are very obediant and easily trained, as are the Goldens. They just want to please.

I have also found that shepards are as mean as the owner wants them to be depending on the treatment and the praise they get for being either friendly or mean.. I have had shepards in the past and they can be very friendly and also protective. Protective does not have to be the same as mean.

If you are looking for a cuddly I love you dog...for the most part I would avoid the hounds. They are more independent.
Do get help with training. Mostly it takes time and patience.

Good luck. If it were me and I was not looking for protection and wanted companionship and love I would wait for a golden retriever or a lab. Just my opinion though.

awwww, I used to hate small dogs. Had a Brittany that swam with me, a golden retriever I rescued who hated water, a black lab from the pound. But then I got into small dogs quite by accident as I was looking for a small dog for a client who had just lost hers. I found this lovely white poodle terrier mix and she was mine. She was only about 5 when she died of melenoma. That was a few months after my daughter died and I about cracked. I drove to Long Island to get a dog from a shelter site unseen as the volunteer lady thought that she was a terrier mix. She was beautiful and we loved eachother on the boat and car ride home. Next morning she met my son and I no longer had a dog. Turns out she's a beared Collie cross and is a magnificant intelligent dog. But not mine. So then one day months later I was reading the paper and saw some terrier poodle mixes advertised. I went and got my little girl. She is black and grey, is 3 but looks old. A few years later the woman somehow notified me she had another litter. I took home my little boy. I later helped the woman adopt out a few litters and she finally gave me the mom. I had the puppy people make donations and got mom fixed and the vet tec adopted her. And here we are now, three weeks ago I was speaking with someone and asked her since she always had small dogs where I could find the puppy I have been craving. She told me to call a deceased client's daughter. I did, got a boy, visited him twice and took him home tonight. The other children are a bit freaked by the smells of the dogs from where the puppy came but they are wagging and kissing him. He is Willy. Hope this isn't robbing your post, I love my children so much and I know it needs to be the right match. I was also lucky as i took the kids to work with me and still do a lot. They are unofficial therapy dogs. They are so smart. Training? Oh my, mine know no tricks but come when they are called and know a lot of words. They are spoiled rotten. Look around and find a dog that chooses you, or a puppy and know that if you are working the critter may need doggie day care. I think about any breed is doable if your in love. But I agree, research the breeds first. I don't think you want a Grey hound. I like mutts the best. Good luck. I am so excited I wish I could help you find that perfect friend!

Gotta jump in here..........GREYHOUNDS make wonderful, wonderful pets. My daughter and I counted the other day and we've had 9 greyts. All rescued. They are couch potatoes, loving, hysterically funny and for the most part, very obedient. They are easy to train and love, love, love their toys. They generally love other dogs and play very well with them. My last one died ten years ago but my daughter has a two year old now, Norman.....Saving one from being killed at a track is a noble thing, I suppose. But we've always chosen them because they're such fun and easy keepers. They DO NOT need a lot of exercise. They love sofas almost as much as they love to eat and play and be loved on. A favourite position of theirs is on their back on your couch..........pat

Sorry Faver, a lot of my co-workers are into adopting Grey hounds and it is very noble. Only problem is that many of them have been very emotionally disturbed and do not adjust. Poor things. Like any generalization, doesn't always fit and I apologize.

Hi there, welcome to the forums.
As a dog owner, pedigrees and mixed (shelter dogs) for over 25 yrs. I would suggest almost any, but not of the Sporting group, they require lots of activity, and space, great dogs but I know that a working person, would not be a good match and the dog would suffer.
When I was a career person, I did not have a dog, cause it is very unfair to dogs to be "part time" moms, believe me I know. Till I was able to be a "full time" or very close to a full time mom, I opted for birds instead.
I have 2 Weimaraners, and by all means are not "green" to this breed or sporting group, I would never suggest such catagory to anyone unable to devote the time to them.
I am not talking you out of a dog, but please, if you are not going to be around a dog for all day, this is definately not the right thing to do, extremely unfair to a dog, expecting them to wait all day for your arrival from work. Please give this very deep thought, we all want a pet, and so often we are smitten and forget the reality of it all. I do hope you can work out a plan, but if not, wait to take such sweet companion into your life, sad but true, situations of working people, result in the dog going back to shelters, breed rescues or in the end euthanasia.
I wish for you that getting a dog can become a reality, it is a wonderful thing to share your life with a dog, lots of work and patience required, but such a beautiful thing beyond words

To you and all that read this, a pet should be treated with love and care, as a human family member would be.

But then again, this is my personal opinion

Sincerely,
DE

I have a Portuguese Water Dog Gus pictured in the snow at left before he jumped in the Des Plaines river. Got him because he is hypo-allergenic, I've never found a hair on the couch and my asthmatic daughter who is allergic to dogs has no reaction to him. They are kind of hyper but very intelligent, great swimmers what with their webbed feet and all. He is a water, snow, mud magnet. Not the kind of dog who lays passively in front of the fireplace PWDs are like velcro, they want to accompany people everywhere. Since the 3 kids trekked off to college Gus has more than filled the house and he doesn't pick up after himself either. If I ever made a decision that was unquestionably the right one to make it was getting my best friend Gus.

definitely shepherd mix! sheepdogs rule and they are easy to train, theyre lively and cheery and wise.

I have had a kelpie and now i have a young aussie, i have also trained other people's dogs, lots of shepherds and retrievers and some hounds and poodles, and have been a "dogsitter", for example had a golden retriever for months cuz his owner suddenly got astma. My sister had a lab. So i have to say... Maybe retrievers there are different cuz they don't really want to please or care about it. They also don't learn stuff as quickly. Hounds are inpossible, but poodles are nice too, very clever and obedient.

Shepherds are definitely my thing though, my lovely puppy knew almost all of the BH-test program as a 4-month-old already!! Shepherds really work with you like your minds were one

Des Plaines river? We might be neighbors . I'm in the western suburbs of Chicago. If you don't want to post about it, that's okay. Just wanted to say hi.

And to not hijack your thread, AV, I agree with Fayerody. Pay close attention to which dog comes to you and then make your decision. Our knucklehead of a puppy came running up to my husband like a goofball when we were looking for a dog. We just love her to pieces and she's so much fun! Good luck!

Laurie

Hi Laurie,
That's a funny name for your parents to have named a cute little boy who loves plaid shirts and his mommy very much. Anyway I live in the far northern suburbs and, just to stay on topic, when that pup is about a year old, you will have to visit Lake County's wonderful dog parks in Lake Forest, Wauconda, Gurnee and Gus' favorite, in Libertyville. Go you Fighting Illiini.

Topher

I love shepards, but like everyone else said, check what it was mixed with. They're smart and protective, and will scare off any burglars just because it's a shepard!

DARKEYES: Yes. It's very unfair to leave a very active and sensitive dog alone all day. If you choose to leave the dog in the yard alone, it may bark and start a dog chorus. It may also attract dog-teasing and abusing children. And the neighbors may complain. Besides, doggie is lonely!

ESTHERS VIRTUE: I have loved so many dogs. I couldn't give all of them the exact type of love they needed, however. So I have learned to be more careful, both for the sake of the dog, and for the sake of my heart.

I've had a BEAGLE, which was a darling dog, and which couldn't tolerate being alone all day, even with a very nice yard. She would run in circles and her bugle could be heard a block away. That was not what the neighbors wanted to hear. We eventually sent her to live on a farm.

I've had TERRIERS, and I am inordinately fond of them. I am a pushover for a dog that will jump into my arms. Some of them, however (the Jack Russell, for example) are much too high strung, much too people-oriented to be left alone all day. I've had a medium-size border terrier, which was very sweet and intelligent --- and enjoyed playing ball alone. Or maybe he was just trying to entice me to throw the ball to him? I think he did all right because I had other dogs to keep him company. However, I don't think he would have been happy all alone.

I've had a SHEPHERD --- very intelligent, and very protective. Of course, they require a lot of care and brushing and cleanup. And they are also inclined toward hip dysplasia. Mine was a hobo. We got him that way, and we lost him that way.

That said, there are some SMALL DOGS that can adapt to being alone all day. If a doggie door works for you, and if your yard is actually secure, and if there are enough dog toys in the house and yard to keep your buddy amused, it can be done.

I would get the dog while you are at home on vacation. That way you can establish potty boundaries and watch the dog's reactions to your environment. And you can introduce lots of toys, helping the dog choose them instead of chewing on your furniture, etc. And it will give you a chance to crate-train the dog.

I think dog crates, if large enough, are wonderful. I taught my schipperke dog to love hers. It was her home, with her toys all inside. She would go in there in preference to anywhere else in the house, because she felt "safe" in her own little den. My dog was so protective of her home territory, and of me, that I would need to fasten her crate door if I had a visitor. She was the greatest watch dog in the world. She had more courage than judgment, however, and would have attacked an elephant to protect me. She was a SCHIPPERKE, about 20 lbs, all heart, as fun as a dog can be. Unfortunately, she probably shed more coat than any other dog I've known. But she was wonderfully waterproof and required no haircuts. And all her life she had not a single health problem, until the sudden liver cancer that took her at age 13.

There are more places to get a dog than the "pound." There are SPECIAL RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS for almost every type of pedigreed dog. You might want to contact and visit some of them. I'm not saying that mutts are not wonderful. What I AM saying, however, is that after losing my beautiful GREYHOUND MIX to some type of disease she caught in the pound, I shall not be getting a dog from the pound again. For me it was heartbreaking. She was the best buddy ever to my schipperke. And she was so sweet, laying her head on my knees, looking up at me with obviously adoring eyes. She knew all the house rules when she came home with me. She was a perfect dog already. And I shall never forget her.

Especially if you work, I would choose a MATURE DOG rather than a puppy. Some dogs are quite destructive, especially if left alone for long periods of time, in their puppyhood. And my schipperke was a bigtime chewing machine until about age 2. If you think about it, 2 years is a long time, extremely slow because of the owner working full-time. So crate training was vital for her. Then one morning she woke up, decided that she knew all the rules and would even enforce them, and was the most proper dog you can imagine. Anyway, how can one train a puppy when one is away at work all day?

When I was very young, my grandmother told me that a RAT TERRIER was the best dog in the world. Truly, they will keep your home free of vermin of any type. And they are also a barrel of fun, extremely intelligent, and eager to learn. I used to think that she meant a wire-haired fox terrier, but that wasn't so. Seems I have heard that the rat terrier is actually a breed. Probably better have a fence they can't burrow under, because I think all terriers like to dig.

Yes, the SIZE OF THE DOG can matter. Those who work and are very tired on the weekend, and those who have any physical disability or use a wheelchair, will find a dog this size very easy to bathe, to pick up, to carry in a large shoulder bag in the case of disaster (well, if there is broken glass or gasoline on the ground, the dog will need protection). Perhaps you have none of these problems, Esther'sVirtue. However, if you ever need a dogsitting person, the elderly and physically disabled can probably manage a dog this size quite well, using the kitchen sink for bathing the dog if necessary, and drying it in a towel right in one's lap. Yes, it pays to look ahead and weigh these factors when you are choosing your doggie life companion.



Finally, I want to wish you a lot of wonder and joy in your journey toward that very special canine friend who is waiting and hoping for just you, because noone else will do.



Adieu

it is true that greyts have been abused physically and emotionally and they do need some special love. thinking about it, i wouldn't adopt any dog that needed a lot of attention if it was going to be left alone all day. fayeroe has had separation anxiety and has torn up some things. but she's adjusted now.......after much ado. i still love greyts and do think they are worth the adjustment. pat

<font color="green"> [b]Two smaller dogs can keep each other company and still be there for you when you get home. Perhaps littermates who have both been nuetered?</font>[b]

Now Toph. Haven't you read *any* of my posts? You must know by now that my son's name isn't All Done. Sheesh! Everyone knows it's N, silly !

While I call Mabel a puppy because she's a little pup, she's actually five years old. When it gets a little warmer, I'm sure she would love to visit a dog park. In fact, she's never been to one. (Shame on me. We have a few around here, too.) Thanks for the recommendation.

Now, about my mascara...should I go with regular or waterproof?

Laurie

P.S. Go Cubs! Right?