Buying a Dog

[*Shinzon*]

Louie on the left and Roxy on the right.

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...chmentaspx.jpg

How did owning two of these guys work out? We've been considering getting another dog possibly, how do they react with each other? Not sure if we'd get another pug per-say but Might be awesome to have another.

[MF Perm tha Fineass]

This is not true. It depends on when you fix your dog. If you fix them before they are fully matured sexually (before their first heat if they are female or before they start marking if they are male) their temperament will be different than if you wait until after that time to fix them.

Nah man, Shinzon was saying it can / will make your dog really lazy..... the only temperament change that occurs is less aggression and territorial behavior. Fixing will never make a dog less energetic or have drastic behavioral changes on that level.

[zoobernut]

Nah man, Shinzon was saying it can / will make your dog really lazy..... the only temperament change that occurs is less aggression and territorial behavior. Fixing will never make a dog less energetic or have drastic behavioral changes on that level.

Oh yeah in that sense you are correct. I thought you were saying it would have NO effect on their temperament.

The main advantage to fixing your dog is the greatly reduced risk of health issues later in life. If you don't fix your female dog you will probably deal with cervical cancer or some form of downstairs cancer later in life. Or at best you will deal with any number of other health issues that can occur in an unfixed female. Really the only reason to not fix your animal is if you are going to be a breeder.


Most of the behavior changes from fixing are centered around aggression and territorial behavior. Maybe people get the impression their dog is lazier or less energetic after getting them fixed because fixing your dog can sometimes make them gain a little bit of weight if you fix them later in life.

[Manako]

I'd definitely go to the AKC site, or checkout books/ other websites about finding a dog with a temperament that will suit your lifestyle. If you insist on getting a purebred dog then you will want to find a reputable breeder and get a pet quality dog, and the breeder should be insisting you fix it. Otherwise there are plenty of wonderful dogs that need to be rescued, and some animal groups specialize in specific breeds.

If you need a no-shed dog then you'll also be looking at the cost of grooming the dog. Short haired dogs seem to shed even more than longer haired ones. Poodles, Schnauzers and the like don't shed, but they need their fur to be trimmed instead. Personally I would avoid terriers, as they can be very high energy and can be difficult to train. I'm partial to corgis, but you could also get something like a pug, poodle or pomeranian. Shitzus are also really nice dogs, don't shed and were bred to be companion dogs.

[blindSharingan]

How did owning two of these guys work out? We've been considering getting another dog possibly, how do they react with each other? Not sure if we'd get another pug per-say but Might be awesome to have another.

It worked out fine. Louie is pretty mellow and Roxy is extremely rambunctious. She'll pick on him from time to time in a very childish sort of way until he's had enough of it and knocks her ass over. They love each other and cuddle/play all the time. Lou was our only dog til he was about 3 so it took a little bit for him to get used to the idea of sharing the spot light. It can be hard to give both of them the attention they deserve from time to time though.

If you do end up getting a 2nd pug I'd be weary of getting another boy. Male pugs can tend to have a hard time getting along from what I've read.

[barber2006]

Well, I can say for certain that no matter which route we go we will be getting the dog fixed. For starters I had mutts growing up and it seemed like they spit out 6-8 puppies every year and they were impossible to get rid of. And no, we have no plans to show dogs. I'd probably prefer to jump off a ten story building on to a bicycle with no seat than prance around with my dog wearing ribbons on astroturf.


As far as rescue/bred dogs are concerned.....

I think one of the draws toward a bred dog for us is that it seems like we can know what we are getting into. I'm left brained and I like the fact that for pure bred dogs there are charts that list things like 'shedding', 'trainability', and 'energy level'. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems like there would be less certainty about things like shedding level and personality traits from a rescued dog without a history. Correct me if I am wrong though. Bottom line is that I'm going to have to live with this dog for 15 years so I'm looking for as many guarantees as I can get concerning housebreaking, playing well with children, etc.

[*Shinzon*]

Cool, that's interesting I've never heard that about male pugs before.

[MF Perm tha Fineass]

Oh yeah in that sense you are correct. I thought you were saying it would have NO effect on their temperament.

The main advantage to fixing your dog is the greatly reduced risk of health issues later in life. If you don't fix your female dog you will probably deal with cervical cancer or some form of downstairs cancer later in life. Or at best you will deal with any number of other health issues that can occur in an unfixed female. Really the only reason to not fix your animal is if you are going to be a breeder.


Most of the behavior changes from fixing are centered around aggression and territorial behavior. Maybe people get the impression their dog is lazier or less energetic after getting them fixed because fixing your dog can sometimes make them gain a little bit of weight if you fix them later in life.

Yeah I probably should have worded my reply to shinzon better, I just hate when people have these half-ass excuses for not fixing their dogs especially after seeing so many poor souls in shelters that may never be adopted. It just breaks my heart

[*Shinzon*]

Well, I can say for certain that no matter which route we go we will be getting the dog fixed. For starters I had mutts growing up and it seemed like they spit out 6-8 puppies every year and they were impossible to get rid of. And no, we have no plans to show dogs. I'd probably prefer to jump off a ten story building on to a bicycle with no seat than prance around with my dog wearing ribbons on astroturf.


As far as rescue/bred dogs are concerned.....

I think one of the draws toward a bred dog for us is that it seems like we can know what we are getting into. I'm left brained and I like the fact that for pure bred dogs there are charts that list things like 'shedding', 'trainability', and 'energy level'. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems like there would be less certainty about things like shedding level and personality traits from a rescued dog without a history. Correct me if I am wrong though. Bottom line is that I'm going to have to live with this dog for 15 years so I'm looking for as many guarantees as I can get concerning housebreaking, playing well with children, etc.

These are things that will be based on the overall breed that you decide to go with and not necessarily based on whether or not the dog is a purebred animal. Obviously if you choose to get a mixed dog you want to know what it is a mix of so you know what to expect.

[*Shinzon*]

Yeah I probably should have worded my reply to shinzon better, I just hate when people have these half-ass excuses for not fixing their dogs especially after seeing so many poor souls in shelters that may never be adopted. It just breaks my heart

I shouldn't of made such a blanket statement, but I did kinda fix it in my second reply regarding why we didn't fix ours. I think most first time owners should always have their dogs fixed because it really is awful how many dogs get left to just die on the streets every year and how overwhelmed the shelters get. That said, a lot of that revolves around idiot people who have no idea what they are getting themselves into and just overall lack of responsibility. I think that's probably my main point.

[Linliel]

Yeah I probably should have worded my reply to shinzon better, I just hate when people have these half-ass excuses for not fixing their dogs especially after seeing so many poor souls in shelters that may never be adopted. It just breaks my heart

Absolutely, I completely agree.

Fucking selfish people thinking they can make a quick buck off their dogs, ugh. Dogs should be companions, not investments.

[Linliel]

Yeah I figured that was the main point, because it is true lol. Fuck that noise.

We still haven't fixed my Westy because I want her to have puppies, but my dad doesn't want to breed her lol.

DON'T BREED HER GOD PLEASE SERIOUSLY.



If you want puppies, go to a shelter and adopt some. Please don't turn into a backyard breeder. Worst idea ever.

[*Shinzon*]

Absolutely, I completely agree.

Fucking selfish people thinking they can make a quick buck off their dogs, ugh. Dogs should be companions, not investments.

They can be both you know, they're always an investment. You invest time and money to care for them. We love our dog to death and we took him to a professional breeder once to experiment and see how it would go. He didn't like it though so we decided we wouldn't try again. Gotta just look at things realistically. Not everyone is the same.

[isladar]

Oh god, the pugs are gorgeous! Thanks for posting pictures. LOOKIS LIDDLE SNORFLE FACEFACES.

I'm seriously dying without a pug.

I know I want a silver or apricot fawn; black pugs are beautiful too but I do want that distinctive mask.

This book is sitting on my bedside table, it was my grandmother's. It's from 1968, but it goes into amazing detail not only of the history of the breed, but it's specifications (like exactly what "cobby" means in its AKC description), health concerns, how to feed it, everything. Not one of the new kinds of dog breed books that are all glossy photos and bullshit. Very informative.

[Kryssan]

Off topic, but from someone who observes pets more than keeps them, the most awesome dog I've seen was a siberian husky/gray wolf bitch. My dad's friend had one. Of course, with a dog like that you really need some space, and to be more northern ways for them to be comfortable. Owner said it takes a bit to get used to them and to train them too. But wow, they are some damn smart and pretty animals.

[Vandalhart]

Any serious breeder will have one female of one breed that has a litter maybe once every two years. If they decide that female is too old to breed, they get their pick of the litter for the next time and so forth.

I have a questionable situation right now where my neighbor seems to have started breeding dogs. It's tearing me up because I don't want to be an asshole, but I don't want to see it happen next door. She's got like 11 dogs there now and she told me she's gotten into breeding small breed dogs.

Always check out the Breeder's house if you go that route. You want to know any issues with previous dogs in their other litters as well.

[Mjd]

DON'T BREED HER GOD PLEASE SERIOUSLY.

This.

Read this, funny and true


First dog: Murphey. Samoyed. Parents friend's dog had puppies. He offered one to us. He was a purebred and super protective. Had to be put to sleep, got rabies.

Second dog: Snow. Samoyed. Rescued as a puppy. Super timid, but super sweet at the same time. Always happy. Died in a freak accident during a storm.

Third dog: Lessa. Norwegian Elkhound. Neighbors left her behind when they moved (just left her on the runner). Me and my sister rescued her from that pain (as the new neighbors didn't want a dog). She was super loyal to my father and me (even after moving out and visiting). We had her for 8 years. She was put to sleep because of kidney failure and spinal arthritis. No dog needs to live through any pain.

Current dog: Nugget Zuri. Papillon Poodle. Rescued from a puppy mill. Scared little girl but a bundle of joy to play with. Super protective of the gf and follows me when ever I go out for a walk. Have been asked to breed her. I just ignore them.


TLDR: I've adopted or saved all my dogs with my family. It's a great feeling because they stay super loyal to you and the fact you saved something. I'd rather save another dog than buy a new tv.

[zoobernut]

They can be both you know, they're always an investment. You invest time and money to care for them. We love our dog to death and we took him to a professional breeder once to experiment and see how it would go. He didn't like it though so we decided we wouldn't try again. Gotta just look at things realistically. Not everyone is the same.

The majority of people have absolutely no idea what they are doing. Going and breeding your dog is no easy task and you have to prepare for it and know exactly what you are getting into. Shinzon between this and the post about how fixing your dog will make them lazy you have lost all credibility and no one should listen to your posts. Seriously you know nothing about dogs.

I feel sorry for any pets you do have.

[Mjd]

I have a questionable situation right now where my neighbor seems to have started breeding dogs. It's tearing me up because I don't want to be an asshole, but I don't want to see it happen next door. She's got like 11 dogs there now and she told me she's gotten into breeding small breed dogs..

Break in at night and release the dogs while dressed as a dog?

[isladar]

Third dog: Lessa. Norwegian Elkhound.

Oh, god those dogs are beautiful. FUCK. Just majestic, holy shit.