Another dog? Things to consider. . .

[Kerislc]

I have been getting allergy shots and guess what??? Dogs don't bother me anymore at all! We had my sister in law's dog last weekend and he didn't bother me at all. The doc says I will have to continue them forever because of my allegies with pollen and such.

Anyway, that has been the only thing keeping us from getting Kasey a dog. He would like a bigger dog that he could take running, hiking, etc with him. We have been looking at the shelters and found one that we really like (I tried to find his pic on petfinder, but I can't seem to find him). We want to get an older dog that is quite calm. Scout gets nervous around big hyper dogs.

What kinds of things should be consider before getting another dog? We have an 8 foot high fence around our yard and the dog would get plenty of exercise with Kasey. I want to make a really good decision and really be sure that we are ready for another dog. Any suggestions?

[courtnek]

if exercise is a given, and with a runner that usually is, consider a lab or golden. I dont normally advocate labs, but you are here and we can help you. labs need exercise, discipline and training. they are wonderful dogs to run with, they'll wear out the runner!!!

make sure he is trained, obedient and he will make an excellent running companion. they are good running alongside bikes as well...

when trained well and exercised they make excellent house dogs as well

8)

[Aroura]

I used to have allergies to dogs, thank dog they are gone! Still, to be on the safe side I would recommend a standard poodle, they are one of the most versatile breeds, loyal, affectionate, always up for a good hike and make great indoor dogs, plus they are hypo-allergenic. There is always the potential that Kasey could develop allergy's also if it runs in the family, you never know. But I honestly think you would be more than happy with a standard poodle, plus you could do really well with obedience and agility trialling which is so much fun!

I went to a dog show on the weekend, a standard poodle won best in show both days, when it went up with its owner to get its award it bounced up on its hind legs and all the way out of the ring like that, it was so cute! :lol:

[Kerislc]

What about Scout? What is the best way to get him used to having another dog around. He does fine with my sister in law's big dog, but he was the first dog he saw when he left his litter. Should I take him to the shelters and see which dogs he likes?

[ESSlover]

Well, I may be a bit biased here.. But how about a Springer? They can run and run and run and run and run, but if you get the right one, they calm right down when they're at home. Mocha would sleep almost al lthe time she was inside, but the second she was out, it was a completely different dog! (Of course, Carson, will run and run and run and run all the time, and would probably scare the shit out of Scout! :lol: )


When we got Mocha, the pound let us take her home for a week to see how she did and the cats did around eachother.. Luckly it all worked out fine...

See if ya'll can work something out like that at the pound.. Although, Scout may feel that this dog is comming into his territory, and wont like it. You will probably want to have them meet in mutual territory..

Just my 2 cents..

[JackieMaya]

I took Jackie and Maya over to Pooh Bear's foster home so they could all meet there. They got along fabulously; no aggression or nervousness at all, so I figured they were good to go, and they were.

Once you find the dog you want, definitely have your dog meet the new one on neutral ground at least once, and more times if you think they need it, before you introduce the new dog into your home.

[CincoandDahlilasgirl]

Well I'd suggest a lab or a springer. Make sure Scout isn't aggressive with dogs that he has not known since puppy hood.

[Guest Anonymous]

what about and aussie. there are plenty of aussies in resuce that need homes ;) and they are great for runnig partners and excersise stuff and get along with other dogs :)

[JackieMaya]

DeafAussieLover napisał(a):

what about and aussie. there are plenty of aussies in resuce that need homes ;) and they are great for runnig partners and excersise stuff and get along with other dogs :)

I'll have to agree with DAL about Aussies. Pooh Bear, who is an Aussie mix male, fit in immediately with my two Golden mix girls. They act as if they've been together forever. He's 15 months old and they're 4 years old, and they play together outside but they're all quiet in the house. An Aussie would have plenty of energy to be a running companion.

[ESSlover]

Aussies are great! My best friend has an Aussie, and she loves everyone. Plus, the first time that we dog-sat her, she did WONDERFUL with the cats. Didnt chase them or anything! :D

[Aroura]

I would suggest getting a bitch, they are more likely to get along that way. I hope Scout is desexed? If you are after a specific breed there are plenty of breed rescues about that you could call and possibly get a dog on trial to see how it works out. Just to be biased, I will say get a Boxer - they're a great breed, loving, affectionate, clownish, simply adorable and don't shed much (a big factor for me when choosing a dog!) - they are NOT calm though. If you can find one though, Welsh Springer spaniels are just great - thats what I wanted before I got Diego (the Whippet) but Josh didn't like the "look" (being a guy and all!) so we went through numberous dog books together and narrowed it down to one breed that we both liked and most importantly, was known for its good temperament.

What breed you decide on really depends on you, the list that you have given us describes so many breeds that it is impossible for us to give accurate suggestions. Try

http://www.petnet.com.au/selectapet/dogselectapet.html

http://www.purina.co.uk/index.asp?frame=/cat/breedselect.asp