I really want a dog..

Aurora Borealis

..but am not currently in the position to have one in terms of where I live or work.
What do you dog lovers reckon are absolute essentials for potential dog owners in terms of caring for their dogs properly.
How big a house, area for the dog?
How many times should they be walked?
Should they be left alone at all?
What type of dog would suit a single person etc. I love bigger dogs really, esp Labs etc..

I don't see myself living on a farm just yet (unfortunately...:() so looking at this from an urban point of view what would your advice be?

cowzerp

Essentials, shelter, area to roam and wee etc-garden, walks, as often as you can. left alone if neccessary-i prefer having dogs together for company when im not around, labs are fine-size of the dog should not matter much once you care for it and give it exercise..

peasant

To give you a bit of a flippant answer ...

The dog doesn't care how big your house or garden is, it would happily live with you in a tent or under a bridge ...as long as you're there.

beth-lou

First off you need to have time to offer your dog and lots of love.
And a little patience. You will need a decent garden if you are thinking of getting a lab or similar. And be prepared for some teething problems as you both adjust to the rules of the house and your dog learning.
A dog needs to be walked every day, especially a big dog like a lab that would have lots of energy. It will worth every bit of effort you put into it as it will reward you with lotss of love and affection.
What are your living arrangemetns at the mo and are working full time?

Aurora Borealis

Okay so say I had a lab or retriever how often should I be walking him or her and can s/he be left inside at all or if not how big a garden area would be acceptable if I had to leave the dog on its own for a few hours..and how long can they be left for? I won't get one unless I can take proper care of them.

Aurora Borealis

beth-lou wrote: »

First off you need to have time to offer your dog and lots of love.
And a little patience. You will need a decent garden if you are thinking of getting a lab or similar. And be prepared for some teething problems as you both adjust to the rules of the house and your dog learning.
A dog needs to be walked every day, especially a big dog like a lab that would have lots of energy. It will worth every bit of effort you put into it as it will reward you with lotss of love and affection.
What are your living arrangemetns at the mo and are working full time?

Living arrangements at mo not suitable. Live on my own but it's small and not much of a garden. I'd move to facilitate getting one. I am working full time a few miles outside the city so unless I moved nearer my work place it'd be hard to get home during the day.

Think I'm talking myself out of it already.

Poo do I have to wait til I'm totally settled a few years down the line then or something. how do other singles with rentals manage it?

beth-lou

Well a lab or retriver would need to be walked every day for approx 3/4 an hour to an hour. Initially if you get a pup, it will need you to be around quite a lot for feeds and company. You could then train it to spend a period of timeon it's own, by leaving the room for a while and then coming back, extending the period you are away for and thus teaching the dog that when you leave you will return. It all depends onthe dog.
Would you consider a rescue dog or an older dog? Some of the charities like dogs in distress have dogs in foster carae, so they can give you a good indication of the dogs personality and it may have been trained already. Three of my dogs are rescue dogs and the fourth and first one was a dog that the owners were getting rid of. All of them arrived at various ages, and stages of training etc, but quickly sloted in once they got used to the routine.
Have you ever had a dog before?

whitser

garden size doent matter one bit. as long as your dog gets good exercise every day. a lab will need about an hour off the lead exercise each day. if your going to be out at work most of the day i wolud recomend getting 2 dogs. dogs dont do well in solitary confinement.

beth-lou

If you're not going to be there at all during the day and there is no one to call in, it maybe better to wait. There is a thread about leaving a dog on its own and maybe you should read that first. How many hours would you be gone for each day? Dogs can be destructive on their own all day and it would need company, another dog. A small garden wouldn't be ideal if it was left outside while you were at work. They are a huge responsibility and are like having kids in terms of how you can plan your time. So do think seriously about it before you make the commitment.

But older dogs tend to be more settled, and can pose less problems. Two older dogs together could be quite happy.

Hope this helps.

Amimad

In the mean time, doggy company might fill the void.
Why not volunteer at a shelter, to walk & pay with all types of dogs.
Good advice for the other posters, a lab would new plenty of occupation, keep their mind & body active.

Top Dog

Ever considered a retired Greyhound? Walk in the morning before work, and walk in the evening is all it will need. Once it recieves plenty of love when you're home it could make an ideal candidate for you.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drpenfield/2704545796/

To answer the original questions, space is not an issue if you're willing to walk the dog. Big garden or no garden shouldn't really be an issue. Once it has somewhere safe & dry to sleep, and somewhere to relieve itself, then some dogs won't ask for a whole lot more.

Kotick

There are all kinds of different dogs out there and it's best to get one that fits your lifestyle. If you're an active person and are able to have the dog with you often a Border Collie is a great choice because it's a very active dog.

Labs are also active dogs and are a great hunting companion.

This doesn't mean that you can't have either of these dogs if you have a small apartment and aren't there 24/7. But it does mean that when you are there, the dog needs to walk. When you get home, walk it for at least an hour and if you can, put it on a leash and go for a bike ride with it running along side. And give it a couple more short walks in the evening and don't forget to walk it before you leave each morning.

I lived in a small two story apartment (on the second story) and had a Queensland Healer and Black Lab mix. She was very active and I raised her from a pup. The first 4 years of any dogs life is the most important and you'll be training them mostly during that time. If you only have a couple hours to spare for your dog, it isn't fair to the animal to get one just because you want one, but if you have work or go to college, you aren't gone ALL day and could manage to keep a dog if you put in the effort when you get home.

I also had a cat when I got my puppy. They chased each other in the house all day while I was gone. The dog was trained to not use the potty until I got home (was only gone for about 3-5 hours max during the weekdays) but you could also create a designated area for the dog to do it's business (you can buy things such as wee wee pads at any local pet store).

Good luck! And don't forget to use positive reinforcement while training.

lostinnappies

a rather large amount of poop bags lol:D

Honey-ec

Why do Irish people have this idea that you HAVE to have a garden in order to have a dog??? Apartment dwellers in cities like Rome or New York are perfectly happy to keep dogs, but here it's practically verboten.

Is it because Irish people think that once they have a garden they can just leave the dog in it 24/7 and not actually have to look after it???

This isn't directed at anyone on this thread, it's just something that always seems to come up whenever people ask about getting a dog - "You have to have a garden!"

Glowing

The retired greyhound idea is a great one!
www.paws.ie

They'll just sleep when you're out, and a couple of 20 min walks a day and they're happy out. You won't meet a more affectionate pet ....

Kotick

Honey-ec wrote: »

Why do Irish people have this idea that you HAVE to have a garden in order to have a dog??? Apartment dwellers in cities like Rome or New York are perfectly happy to keep dogs, but here it's practically verboten.

Is it because Irish people think that once they have a garden they can just leave the dog in it 24/7 and not actually have to look after it???

This isn't directed at anyone on this thread, it's just something that always seems to come up whenever people ask about getting a dog - "You have to have a garden!"

That's very true. You don't need an outside area where you can let the dog roam free on it's own. You shouldn't be doing that in the first place. Dogs are pack animals and you are their pack leader (sup dog whisperer, but it's true) and they want to be with you no matter where you are. If you have work or classes to go to, then that's fine. Doggy stays at home and rests (you can crate train it if you're gone for short periods of time or let it rest in a room). When you get home, it's all about you and the dog (kind of like having a kid). You need to walk it and train it. You can't just leave it outside doing whatever while you do whatever you want.