Help Me Pick A Dog

[Stormcloud23]

Hi guys, I am in need of some advice from an animal expert. I'm going to be going away to college soon and I'm going pretty far away. I am currently living in Northern Virginia in the US however I will be moving to Finland for college. At the moment I don't know anyone there, so I've been thinking about getting a dog for a companion. Specifically, I'm looking for a dog that is very loyal and protective, such as an Australian Cattle Dog , ala Mad Max or Fallout. Obviously it'll get pretty cold up there so temperature tolerance is pretty important, and I'll most likely be living in an apartment so I won't have a yard, but I have no qualms about walking him around the city whenever. Any help is greatly appreciated as well as suggestions, and thanks in advance everybody.

 

[FlyAwayAutumn]

If your getting a dog I'd personally go with this.

Spoiler: Big picture, spoiler for your convenience

 

[Chancie]

I'd suggest a dog that's no bigger than maybe 40 pounds then, maybe 30. So, a small to medium size dog. It's hard to go past that since I don't know what kind of temperament, coat type (to account for grooming), etc. you're looking for. All I ask if that if you do pick a certain breed please please please look into the breed 100% and make sure it really is the right one for you. So, for you, I recommend looking into everything you can about Australian Cattle Dogs. There's nothing worse than the 101 Dalmatians syndrome (buying a breed because you saw it in a cool movie, show, game, etc. and finding out it isn't the breed for you, so you dump it in a shelter).

 

[M4A1Sopmod]

Trust me. Don't get a dog. When the the buyer's glee wears off you will be stuck with another mouth to feed and as a college student, trust me, you really don't need that.

 

[vento 231]

I always liked American Staffordshire (perferably un-cropped)

In Finland, I would recommend a czech wolf hound, husky, malamute, or australian shepard.
Malamute

Australian shepard

czech wolfhound

So you know I know what I'm talking about, I:
Have over 300 hours volunteered at my local shelter
Have a mother that is a registered veterinary technician
Volunteer at local rescues
used to have a small rescue for misunderstood breeds.

 

[octafish]

Go to the pound. Rescue a mongrel.

 

[Jackalb]

Get a bear.

 

[Enemy Of The State]

Get a bear.

Then you can eat it when times get hard!

Bear sounds good.

 

[bojac6]

Don't get a dog, especially a big one like an Australian, until you own property. The dog will be miserable in a small apartment. It will become very bored and a bored dog is a distructive dog. So your choice is keep it locked up in a cage all the time or buy new furniture once a week.

If you're in a small apartment, get a cat. Dogs, especially large ones, need a yard to run around in.

 

[CouchCommando]

Unless you have plenty of time to walk it a lot, and/or a large property for it to roam upon, leave the Australian cattle dog alone.

 

[CrustyOatmeal]

Get a bear.

i second that

 

[Egitor]

When I am getting a dog (which by the way, will be after I finish college and have a steady job and place to live), I am getting a Beagle [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beagle]. They're loyal, protective, neither large nor small and they look awesome =)

 

[Stormcloud23]

I'd suggest a dog that's no bigger than maybe 40 pounds then, maybe 30. So, a small to medium size dog. It's hard to go past that since I don't know what kind of temperament, coat type (to account for grooming), etc. you're looking for. All I ask if that if you do pick a certain breed please please please look into the breed 100% and make sure it really is the right one for you. So, for you, I recommend looking into everything you can about Australian Cattle Dogs. There's nothing worse than the 101 Dalmatians syndrome (buying a breed because you saw it in a cool movie, show, game, etc. and finding out it isn't the breed for you, so you dump it in a shelter).

Yea I know, that's why I'm doing this research.

Don't get a dog, especially a big one like an Australian, until you own property. The dog will be miserable in a small apartment. It will become very bored and a bored dog is a distructive dog. So your choice is keep it locked up in a cage all the time or buy new furniture once a week.

If you're in a small apartment, get a cat. Dogs, especially large ones, need a yard to run around in.

Eh I don't really like cats.

 

[Casual Shinji]

If you're going to live in an apartment, it's best to get a dog that's not too yappy.

 

[kouriichi]

Welsh Corgi.
My friend has one. If i so much as try to touch the controller when my friend is watching Cops, the thing barks at me and chews on my shoe strings at a single command.

Plus theyer cute as hell.

 

[Malkavian]

Get a dwarf poodle, if it can stand the cold. DEspite what most people think, it's not an agressive dog. Actually they are often said to be perfect family dogs. They are intelligent, live long, and best of all, they have a size and demand that are best manageable for a college student.

 

[SuperCombustion]

I'd seriously consider the dog thing. Do you need one? can you support one?
But if you're adamant and can't be swayed: Get a mongrel, crossbreeds are always the best. They tend to be better behaved, well rounded, easier to train, get less illnesses and have none of the complications of pedigrees. But seriously, a pedigree is a result of generations of inbreeding, you're scraping the bottom of the genetic barrel. Get a dog with less mutations. My dog's a mongrel from a rescue centre, I suggest getting one from the same place.

EDIT: and if you think about it, you're technically getting all your favourites for the price of 1

 

[Malkavian]

I'd seriously consider the dog thing. Do you need one? can you support one?
But if you're adamant and can't be swayed: Get a mongrel, crossbreeds are always the best. They tend to be better behaved, well rounded, easier to train, get less illnesses and have none of the complications of pedigrees. But seriously, a pedigree is a result of generations of inbreeding, you're scraping the bottom of the genetic barrel. Get a dog with less mutations. My dog's a mongrel from a rescue centre, I suggest getting one from the same place.

That's not true. While mongrels can be a better fit for you than a pedigree, the opposite is true as well. With a pedigree, you know the type of dog you get. A mongrel can be the best from both, and no negatives... or it can be the worst of both, and no positives. There's no certainty that they get less sick, etc.

@OP: BTW, you should really consider what this guy here says: Are you sure you can handle a dog? If you want to get it as a pup, then you need to set aside at least your entire summer to raising it. A dog requires a lot of things, and if you can't give it all it needs, you shouldn't get a dog. It's a living creature, and has needs that must be fullfulled.

 

[crotalidian]

when I get a dog next spring I will be getting one of

Spoiler: These

[image src='http://www.gotpetsonline.com/pictures-gallery/dog-pictures-breeders-puppies-rescue/shiba-inu-pictures-breeders-puppies-rescue/pictures/shiba-inu-0081.jpg']

its a Shiba inu or japanese fox dog, they have warm coats to deal with the cold, they are active and energetic but can live in an apartment easliy. They are loyal and friendly. Plus they are Gorgeous Dogs.

 

[Anah'ya]

/snip

Excuse me.

Excuse me a real fuckin' lot. You would recommend an Australian Shepard or a Malamut (or a Czek Wolf Hound for that matter) to someone who said this:

Specifically, I'm looking for a dog that is very loyal and protective, such as an Australian Cattle Dog , ala Mad Max or Fallout. Obviously it'll get pretty cold up there so temperature tolerance is pretty important, and I'll most likely be living in an apartment so I won't have a yard, but I have no qualms about walking him around the city whenever. Any help is greatly appreciated as well as suggestions, and thanks in advance everybody.

All the breeds you suggested are high energy dogs and the Aussie is a working animal. I'm already feeling guilty as hell since I moved to a town with mine, and I'd never recommend one of them to someone who doesn't have the necessary facilities close by.

Worse though, I am not quite sure if the OP ever had experience with owning and training a dog. The breeds I quoted you for there are not for beginners.

Now to the OP: Have you ever trained a dog before? Owned one from pup to death? If you have, then you know just how much work and dedication you will have to put into your companion. If you haven't, then be prepared for a commitment that will (hopefully) span a good 10 years.

Think really hard on whether or not you want to commit to this. And once you did that, go to your local shelter and befriend one of the less fortunate souls there (if they have puppies). They need it. Why puppies? Well, you are going to want to be able to get him/her used to your student life. And that's best accomplished from a young age. In particular if your university allows dogs in their "class" rooms and you were planning on taking your buddy with. Then again this might be an Austrian thing. The taking your dog to University thing, I mean.

...

Come to think of it: Don't get a dog. Wait 'till you are done with school.