wildboar
Posted : 8/26/2006 7:02:18 PM
I don't know if this will help you, but it's my experience with dogs. I have 2 miniature dachshund puppies and lab/retriever. I like having the smaller dog because it goes more places with me and is lots of fun, but they have a lot more energy and can get into more places that a large dog could not. I also wanted a small dog because I already had a large dog and it was a matter of space.
Some basic information about different types of dogs is needed. Hound type of dogs were made to search for things, dig, and all that business. I have known people with terriers who are full of energy and can even border on obnoxious. Some breeds need more exercise than others. Some are better with adults than children. If you are getting a puppy, you can expect it to live 10+ years and a lot can change in that time. I am young and eventually want to have children, so I chose dogs that would be good with children. Also, not all dogs have the same personality they had when they were puppies too.
With smaller dogs, they can be more prone to illness and defects. My smallest dachshund has what is called "huffing" and it's similar to a backward sneeze if you can imagine that. It's an issue with the trachea in small dogs. Double dapple dachshunds can be born without eyes. My aunt has every size of poodle. She has a "tea cup" poodle and after many years of owning this dog, they found out it is deaf and has been since birth. I have seen some really neurotic small dogs. A friend of mine, I can't recall the breed of the dog, has a small dog who will roll over and pee on itself whenever a stranger comes around. Another friend of mine had a chi-poo that was completely crazy with anxiety.
My lab is really big and I can't take her a lot of places with me, and I hate having to leave her at home when I go on vacation or something. She loves staying with my parents but I know that she is happier when she and I can be together. If you take a look at a lot of people with disabilities, they will have a larger dog. A friend of mine who was in a wheel chair had a lab for many years. But then again, it was also a work dog.
My best advice is to research all sizes of dogs and figure out which best suits your families best interests. It's important for your dog's personality to mesh well with yours and your family's. For example: if your family is busy and you aren't home a lot you might want a dog that can be solitary or is housebroken easily. Remember that getting a pet of any kind is a responsibility and you should be fair to it. There are too many animals in shelters who need good homes as well , and some of them were abandoned by well meaning people who couldn't handle/want them later on. My lab came from a bad situation, and I think that she is that much more loyal to me for getting her out of it. Also remember that any animal is a product of it's owner's behavior. Some of their behavior will depend on you and the interactions you have with them.
You can look up information on the AKC website. You can also find information or talk to breeders at puppyfind.com. I know that there are some people who don't like the site, but it can be helpful if you need to ask questions. You can also find information on breeders.net. There are lots of other sites that I'm sure someone here could give you. We even went to Barnes and Noble, sat on the floor, and looked through books. If and when you decided what breed you want, ask questions. Find out as much as you can about family history from the breeder. Ask to talk to other people who have bought puppies from them. Ask to see the parents and the kennel. When we got our dachshunds we went to the breeder's home, saw the parents, asked lots of questions. A lot of breeders will like this because they want to know that their puppy is going to a good home. It also helps you to weed out the puppy mills and the imbreeders. I think that it might be more work finding the right puppy than actually taking care of it! [sm=crazy.gif]
Hope this helped. [
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