I need a dog!

bonzai bob

I miss having a dog, I had a lhasa apso since I was about 10 or 11 and it died last year, I’m 21 now.

It just feels weird about the house without a dog so I might get another one. A lhasa apso is quite small so I thought I’d go for a big dog this time. I'm looking for suggestions on what kind of dog to get.

Some I was thinking of;

Labrador
Golden Retriever
Alsatian
Husky.

I'd like something which would shed as little hair as possible, if possible. Also one known to be playful, obedient etc. All the qualities that one would look for in a dog really.

Also, I have no experience in this so I don’t know what kind of costs are involved, can someone enlighten me as to how much injections etc cost? And maybe the chip they can put in your dog to locate it if it gets lost?

Another thing is the exercise factor, I have a huge back garden but I would be afraid that the dog could escape, how high could one of the dogs jump for instance?

I’ve also heard of a lot of pedigrees being stolen and being sold on, is this a big epidemic or something?

Dub13

I would go for a Doberman,I have one 4 years now and they are a great dog.Very playful and they dont shed much.My advice when getting any dog is to get it when the dog is a pup.

Stark

Golden retrievers are big lumps of dogs but are renowned for their temperment. If you're getting one, make sure you take it to obedience classes.

bonzai bob

Stark wrote:

Golden retrievers are big lumps of dogs but are renowned for their temperment. If you're getting one, make sure you take it to obedience classes.

Really? Cool, thanks for that. Are training classes widely available?

bonzai bob

Dub13 wrote:

I would go for a Doberman,I have one 4 years now and they are a great dog.Very playful and they dont shed much.My advice when getting any dog is to get it when the dog is a pup.

Yeah i know, i don't think i could trust any dog if i didn't have it since it was a pup.

Glipmac

Retired Grayhounds, all they do is eat and sleep and are easy to look after they are so lazy it is good if you need a living floor rug but seriously they are brilliant dogs very loving if trained right ours was 14 when she died she had raced for about 5 years go for a grayhound and also rescue a dog (aint it nice)

Glipmac

bonzai bob wrote:

Yeah i know, i don't think i could trust any dog if i didn't have it since it was a pup.

if you train a dog correctly then they will be no problem... but remember it takes time

Nala

Similar thread here

Siberian husky thread here

Quizzes you can take to determine which breed(s) is best for you

Here

Here

and

Here

The Irish Kennel Club can provide you with names of reputable breeders in your area. Most breeds have their own club as well.

Good luck

Nala

Glowing

I'd definately go for a retired greyhound, we have had one for 6 months now, and are going to get a second this weekend. They're clean, extremely obedient, friendly, and the most un-aggressive animal I have ever come across.

They tend to sleep a lot during the day and don't need more excersise than your average dog. A couple of short walks a day and space for a sprint or two would be more than enough. The only thing is that they can't sleep outdoors as they don't have enough of their own insulation! Have a look on the paws website http://www.paws.ie/paws_homes.html

Pups are always going to get homes, so why not get an older dog?

Shewhomustbe...

Loads of dogs here looking for a good home

http://petsireland.invisionzone.com/index.php?showforum=50