Help Me Pick A Dog

[Megalodon]

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.

The vast majority of the time, a mongrel will be healthier. If the two parent breeds share similar health problems, then the cross-breed won't get it twice as bad, and there will be benefits from the more diverse genetic background of the dog. Take a labrador/Rottweiler cross, it will be quitre likely to get hip/elbow dysplasia, but the dog is less likely to get hereditary myopathy (a problem for labradors) or entropion or ectropion (eye conditions Rottweilers are vulnerable to). So a worst case crossbreed ends up in a very similar condition to a pedigree.

On topic, getting a dog in OP's circumstance, not a brilliant idea to be honest.

 

[Dublin Solo]

Go to the pound. Rescue a mongrel.

I so totally agree with you!

OT: Any small to medium size dog could be fine. Even short-haired one will do fine, as long as you don't let them be outisde for too long. The key is to walk the dog and give plenty of exercise.

On a side note, have you considered a cat? Unless you simply don't like cats or are allergic, that could be easier for you if you're going to live in an apartment.

 

[Monkfish Acc.]

Make sure you do not go for hunting/attack dogs. They require a lot of care and specific raising to make sure they are not dangerous. Big responsibility, and not something first-time dog owners can handle.

Also, makes sure no specific care is required. Normally, with larger dogs, you need very specific diets and exercise regimes. It might be a good idea to avoid that. Especially for a kid in college.

My suggestion would be to go for a small dog. Any kind. And make sure to adopt, buying specific breeds is expensive and can fund some unscrupulous breeding programmes.

 

[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.

The vast majority of the time, a mongrel will be healthier. If the two parent breeds share similar health problems, then the cross-breed won't get it twice as bad, and there will be benefits from the more diverse genetic background of the dog. Take a labrador/Rottweiler cross, it will be quitre likely to get hip/elbow dysplasia, but the dog is less likely to get hereditary myopathy (a problem for labradors) or entropion or ectropion (eye conditions Rottweilers are vulnerable to). So a worst case crossbreed ends up in a very similar condition to a pedigree.

On topic, getting a dog in OP's circumstance, not a brilliant idea to be honest.

Well, I'll give you that. But I'd still say that a mongrel is a gamble, since you have no idea what personality the god you get will have. And that's much more relevant than it's proneness to sickness.

 

[Nimbus]

Get a big one. The small ones are yappy little shits.

 

[Olikunmissile]

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.

OP, is that you asking to get a Siberian Husky on /b/ right now?

OT: I have a lab x collie and it's one of the more playful dogs I've ever had, great companion though.

 

[Best of the 3]

Spoiler: Just get a dog

Spoiler: Or three.

Dalmatian maybe? I not sure but I think they are from cold countries. I have no real good imput here. Sorry. I just wanted to put some images in.

 

[Megalodon]

Well, I'll give you that. But I'd still say that a mongrel is a gamble, since you have no idea what personality the god you get will have. And that's much more relevant than it's proneness to sickness.

Heh, heh, heh.
Personality and temperament as far more dependant on envirnment and experience than breed anyway. Very, very few dogs are naturally "bad".

 

[DJDarque]

Go to the pound. Rescue a mongrel.

In my experience these ones always make the best companions. Most of the time they're a lot healthier, too.

Get a bear.

This also works.

 

[Jezzascmezza]

Get a staffy X border collie (that's what I've got.)
He's pretty docile, but energetic when he wants to be.

 

[zarsu]

First of all, are you sure you can handle a dog? Getting a dog is getting a responsibility, and you can't just do whatever you like once you have one.
Secondly, are dogs even allowed wherever you're moving? If you're going to live in a city, and especially if you haven't had a dog before, I certainly wouldn't buy an australian cattle dog, or any dog like it, if I were you.
I suggest you take this test: http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselector.do
It's not precise, but it might give you an idea of what kind of dog you'll want to get.

 

[Malkavian]

Well, I'll give you that. But I'd still say that a mongrel is a gamble, since you have no idea what personality the god you get will have. And that's much more relevant than it's proneness to sickness.

Heh, heh, heh.
Personality and temperament as far more dependant on envirnment and experience than breed anyway. Very, very few dogs are naturally "bad".

It's not a question of being bad, but some dogs require more excercise, are more territorial, etc. Different breeds have different behavioral patterns. Some dogs are better family dogs, some are better watch dogs, etc.

 

[Nunny]

Small breeds are fairly good for house dogs, though got to make sure not to get a yappy breed.

 

[Megalodon]

Well, I'll give you that. But I'd still say that a mongrel is a gamble, since you have no idea what personality the god you get will have. And that's much more relevant than it's proneness to sickness.

Heh, heh, heh.
Personality and temperament as far more dependant on envirnment and experience than breed anyway. Very, very few dogs are naturally "bad".

It's not a question of being bad, but some dogs require more excercise, are more territorial, etc. Different breeds have different behavioral patterns. Some dogs are better family dogs, some are better watch dogs, etc.

This is entirely true and i misunderstood your point, aplogies.

 

[Anah'ya]

Get a staffy X border collie (that's what I've got.)
He's pretty docile, but energetic when he wants to be.

You are recommending a Border Collie to a student?!

The fuck people.. poor thing..

 

[Malkavian]

This is entirely true and i misunderstood your point, aplogies.

No sweat.

 

[Stormcloud23]

SNIP

OP, is that you asking to get a Siberian Husky on /b/ right now?

OT: I have a lab x collie and it's one of the more playful dogs I've ever had, great companion though.

Frankly, I'm offended. Honest mistake though. But thanks for the info.

 

[vento 231]

/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.

Honestly I would, they are very smart and can be trained to live in smaller envirnments, all who I've delt with who weren't specifically trained for herding, or not trained at all were very mellow, it doesn't take a professional to train them just persistance, they would need some walking, but not much assuming they weren't used to high amounts of activity, and every single dog I mentioned is very people friendly and loyal, and can easily be protective. With any persistent training they would be ideal for almost any habitat, three specifically for the cold of Finland. It was also just a suggestion, you don't need to be so harsh about it.

 

[Anah'ya]

Honestly I would, they are very smart and can be trained to live in smaller envirnments, all who I've delt with who weren't specifically trained for herding, or not trained at all were very mellow, it doesn't take a professional to train them just persistance, they would need some walking, but not much assuming they weren't used to high amounts of activity, and every single dog I mentioned is very people friendly and loyal, and can easily be protective. With any persistent training they would be ideal for almost any habitat, three specifically for the cold of Finland. It was also just a suggestion, you don't need to be so harsh about it.

I'll be harsh about this, because that is the reason why you find these dogs in shelters: Their owners can't handle them.

An Aussie is by nature mistrusting towards strangers, and unless you know how to counter that by socializing him properly, the poor thing will end up shoved off because he might just not love everyone around you as much as you might want him to.
They have a very deep rooted herding instinct. My Aussie was never trained to herd, but he knows exactly what to do, whether that's when he's dealing with a horse or a bunch of rabbits. Yes, there are show lines that have been bred specifically for the physical characteristics instead of the working instincts, but they too are still working dogs at the core.
They are not push overs. They have a mind of their own, and the more mistakes a new dog owner makes, the more they learn from them.
And yes. They are very smart. And that is exactly why you don't want to be giving them to someone who has not a clue about how to train them. *shudders*

Just look through the American Australian Shepard shelters. All good dogs there. 'cause, you know.. they're all "hip" and "cute" and "awesome". You said it yourself. You worked at shelters. And apparently you worked with Aussies. Now you might know how to deal with them and how to bring out the excellent traits that make these dogs so awesome---but why do you think they end up in the shelter in the first place?

... and now I'll stop. There's little that irritates me, but dog some dog breeds in the wrong hands is one of the view things that get me.

 

[AngloDoom]

Get a mongrel.

The healthier, random pick-and-mix dogs that either go nuts and break your children or become your best friends. =D