dunno wat kind of breed to get!?

Welcome to the board! Owning a dog for the first time is exciting, and challenging at the same time! Are your parents on board with this?

Tell us a little bit about your lifestyle. Tell us about your plans for the dog - where you plan to keep it, how you plan to feed it, how you plan to exercise it, etc. Why do you want the breeds you're considering?

bullmastiff a dalmatian

Err..a bullmastiff and dalmatian are not the dog for first time dog owners. They need someone who knows quite a bit about training. Dalmations tend to be a one man dog and often will have health problems that are hard to controll. they also take a lot of socalizing to get along with outher dogs. Bullmastiff need to have loads of traing for the owner to be able to handel properly. If your still interested in these breed I would stongly suggest getting a trainer to help you start out right.

I would start with a mid-sized breed. a spanal is a good start for a first dog owner or even just a plain old shelter dog. Either way do you reachearh about any breed. Large dogs can be wonderful dogs but you really need to understand what your getting. Above all you need a dog that fits in with your lifestyle. Do you want a high energy dog or a low energy large cutie or do you want a dog who will follow you everywhere you go and want to jump in your lap any chace it gets? Please discribe what your looking for.

Dalmatians are extremly difficult dogs to deal with. I got one as my "first dog", and it has been a very hard struggle. They are headstrong, stubborn, talkative, very intelligent, very needy (excersise, attention) and I agree they arent good first time dogs for most people. They are NOT outside dogs at all and want to be inside 24/7.

Truly, had I done my research I probably wouldnt have gotten a Dalmatian.

I dont agree with the 1 person thing at all though. Of course any breed of dog will bond with one person more than the other but both of my Dals are good around strangers.

Xebby is right though, they can be difficult to control and need a lot of training and Dals have lots of health problems. They are "stone formers" by nature and have a lot of urinary issues generally when they get older. They are trying to breed this out of them but there are only 2 or 3 pups in the entire world with low uric acid levels. Dals are also prone to epilepsy (have one of those) and deafness (have one of those as well), they can also get hip dysplacia.

I suggest doing research before you decide to buy/adopt anything.

IMO the best dog for you would be a mixed breed from the shelter with a calm, easy going tempermant. Mutts tend to have fewer health problems & just seem to me to be more willing to listen and less high strung and controlling. (could just be me though)

ETA-Make sure if you decide to adopt that you spend time with the dog before adopting, ask a million questions about the dog's history (sometimes not a lot is  known). Ask if it has been temperment tested or if they can temperment test it for you.

www.petfinder.com

^ Great place to start your search!

well ...no decision till now
but i wanna ask a sumthin....



wat will be the color of rhis puppy(bullmastiff) when it has fully grown....pics plzzz

ORIGINAL: omarelsherif

well ...no decision till now
but i wanna ask a sumthin....



wat will be the color of rhis puppy(bullmastiff) when it has fully grown....pics plzzz

The pup will be the same color it is right now, maybe a little lighter. Its called fawn. Pups usually stay around the same color (though some lighten out) but they dont turn blue or anything like that []

If your only 16 I dont think your mom would let you get a Bullmastiff without doing some serious research first, not to mention those dogs are super expensive.

Dalmatians are not the dog for first time owners. There are alot of breeds that are plenty laid back. I own a Collie and she is very laid back, and good with my son.

I'd try dogbreedinfo.com or google "Dog Compatibility Test" to find out which breed best fits your lifestyle

I have to agree with the suggestions to check your local shelter and adopt a nice, mellow mixed breed dog - maybe one who is just a little beyond the very young puppy stage.  A slight older dog could be easier for you to housetrain and may also have a little experience walking on a leash.

Joyce

Good luck with finding a suitable breed! 
 
I think you should do some more research and come up with your top 3 or 5 breeds - one's that are more similar than Mastiff's, Dal's and Labs. The breeds you mention have very different temperments, activity levels, needs and abilities.  I think its best if you can narrow it down to breeds that are similar so you are truly matching them with your lifestyle!

Bullmastiffs are gorgeous dogs and an awesome breed, but I think it would be a big mistake to get one as a first time owner. Everyone makes mistakes with their first dog (no matter how much research, time you spend training the dog, etc.) and a Bullmastiff really isn't a good breed to make those mistakes with....
 
You have to be extra careful with a growing Bullmastiff. They can't be exercised too much or they can develop debilitating (non fixable) joint problems by the time they're a year old. They do have to be exercised though, it's fine line between too much and not enough. They also need to be kept lean so that it's less stress on their growing joints and they need to be fed a food that's going to allow them to grow at the correct rate.
 
Also, they're very large, muscular and powerful with built in protective instincts. That's something that can be a huge liability if you don't channel it correctly. They have a mind of their own and a stubborn streak, so with a dog that large you NEED to start training them immediately.... like puppy kindergarten, tons of socialization so that they don't become fearful or too protective, continuing obedience training as they grow, etc. It's not a breed to take on lightly at all.
 
You also have to consider that the larger the dog, the more everything costs for them. You'd need the largest size crate, the biggest toys, etc. And for a 100 pound dog, they need TWO of the largest size heartworm pills every month. So what would be a year's supply of hw pills with a Golden Retriever is only 6 months worth for a Bullmastiff. They aren't an inexpensive breed at all... getting one from a responsible breeder (I looked into it about a year ago) is going to be about $1,800. And then of course like I said above, everything costs more for them. All those things should be taken into consideration...
 
I would make a list of all the qualities that you'd like in your dog and go from there... whether you want a dog with short hair, how much exercise and training you're willing to do, how much time you have to spend with them, whether they'll be living with kids or other pets, what type of personality you like, etc.

 
The breeds off the top of my head that I'd recommend for a first time owner:
 
Golden Retriever
Labrador Retriever
Cocker Spaniel (English or American)
Beagle
Pug
Shih Tzu (This breed, Pugs, Beagles, and Bostons are BIG dogs in a small package!)
Boston Terrier
Sheltie
Collie
 
Best of luck choosing the right breed!!! []

 

definately a bull mastiff is not a good first dog...
please do your research...
 

I would add that a great first dog for many dog owners is a greyhound rescue.  They are laid back, tolerant and usually calm.  They have energy when you want to go for a walk or a run and then they'll be laid back and sleep on the couch.
 
I would stay away, at 16years old, from adopting a puppy, especially if you are going to be the primary caregiver.  Having the responsibility of a puppy will prevent you from having a social life: puppies require alot of exercise, stimulation, walks, socialization, puppy classes and much much more.  That football/basketball/hockey/ soccer game you wanted to watch: sorry, you have puppy class.  That date with whomever: "Sorry, I have to go home now, it's time to feed and walk the puppy."  That big paper for history class?  "I couldn't concentrate because the puppy was sick."
 
Adopt an adult dog or even better volunteer at a shelter.  This will get you experience in animal care, you'll be able to learn which personalities of dogs appeal to you.

Well I have to say i do not think ANY bully breed  is for the novice owner I would not advise you get go that route. Dalmations are great dogs, but require more training than some other breeds   and can be very protective.
Labs are great dogs... ONCE THEY GROW UP... which is the 2.5 to 3 year stage.
I really would suggest for a first time dog owner get a mutt.... medium size I have found the most laid back dogs that were easy to train have been lab/collie mixes... they have the out going personality of the lab  and the intellingence of the herding breeds.
As a first time owner, I highly recommend socialization training wih a quailified trainer, this will help both yourself and your dog learn the basics.
You could be  better off going  with an older  dog 12months  to 3 years old as they will hopefully be beyond the chewing yappy stage.... take your  time picking the dog that you connect with... there are thousands out there  that need a home so no rush... I have a lot of contacts across the country in rescue  so  if you let me know what area your in I can put you in touch with some folks that will happily give you some guidelines to follow.

Definitely go to a shelter or "shop" rescues online - you'd be surprised at how something will just catch your eye. There are unfortunately a LOT of dogs in rescue. They are not there because they are bad dogs, but almost always because people don't realize when they get a dog, that dogs take time and effort.

I think your best bet would be a dog around 3 or so then you are past puppy age.  Puppies are adorable but can be a real headache and frustrating to the first time owner and they take a lot of your time.  There are so many dogs that need homes at shelters and rescues...why not go save a dog's life.
Both of the dogs I have had were given to me before they went to the shelter. 
A shelter can be certain death for  dogs if they are not adopted.