My Friend Might Be Getting A Dog, Can I Have A Little Advice, Please…?
October 22, 2009 by admin
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
Okay, so I just found out yesterday that my friend might be getting a dog next year. At first I was really jealous – I mean, I’ve been researching and planning for over a year now, and then suddenly she might be getting a dog at the same time. Then I decided just to help her make the most of it. So I started off by asking what type they have in mind. She said maybe some sort of Spaniel. Then I asked her to tell me what she wants in a dog. Then I asked where she would be getting it from, and she said they hadn’t thought about it. So then I told her not to get one from a backyard breeder or a pet shop, and she got all huffy and asked where to get one from (she thought every breeder was a backyard breeder, so I had to explain that for her), and I told her either from a reputable breeder (but I get the feeling the family doesn’t want to spend that much) or a rescue, pound, shelter, etc.
Anyway, so what I wanted to ask is: do you think this family is ready for a dog? Do you think they have unrealistic expectations? If you think they’re ready, what kind of dog do you think would suit them? (I realise that if they get one from a shelter, etc, it may not be a purebred, but this is just a rough starting point)
Okay, here’s what my friend said she wants in a dog:
*Something energetic, but only when she wants it to be (i.e. not hyper)
*Something around the size of a Jack Russell or Cocker Spaniel (maybe a little bigger)
*Something with short hair
*Something that doesn’t shed (because they already have a cat that sheds…?)
*Something that will get along with cats, and the dogs next door
*Something that is intelligent, but not so intelligent it will get destructive if left alone
*Something that’s easy to train
*Something that doesn’t require much grooming
*Something that can be left alone for a while (as in, sometimes up to a day by itself)
*Something cute (how shallow is that?)
*Something that is able to live entirely outside (as in, rarely ever coming into the house, sleeping outside, eating outside, etc)
*Something that is a puppy (even though they are quite a busy family)
*Something that is easy for people who have never had dogs to handle
*Something fairly common, and pretty cheap
*Something that’s good with children (my friend is fourteen, and her sister is about twelve)
Okay, so do you think they should get a dog? Also, when I asked my friend which of these traits were more important (like, did she really want a small dog, but not so much mind about the shedding?) she said they were all as important as each other. Which means she pretty much wants to find a dog that exactly suits their lifestyle. Which I can’t find.
These are the breeds I’m thinking of, but not one of them meets all the criteria:
Jack Russell, Border Terrier, Cavalier King Charles, Cocker Spaniel, Springer Spaniel (both types), Welsh Corgi (both types), Papillon, Poodle (all types), Schanuzer, Beagle, Schipperke, Shetland Sheepdog, Norfolk/Norwich Terrier, Staffy, and Brittany.
What do you think? Sorry this question is so long, but I always make sure everything is detailed, so as (hopefully) not to be misunderstood. Any serious answers are appreciated. Thanks.
Related Papillon Training & Care posts:
A person who looks for a dog who can be “left alone for up to a day” should not get a dog. Period.
Farewell Eclipse, I wish I had a a cavalier king charles spaniel.
cavalier king charles spaniel
She needs to not get a dog.
kay, so first of all….wtf?? dogs arent made to suit all of ur needs and beckoning!!! she cant have all of that, its just not possible out of one simple breed. all breeds can have drawbacks, but also good things. like a mini poodle are small, pretty much the smartest breed of dog, not too energetic like crazy, and other great stuff, but then again, they require a lot of grooming. also, EVERY SINGLE DOG NEEDS CARE. they cant have different amounts of it, no matter what kind they are. another thing, why does she want a dog so that it can live entirely outside????? that can be considered animal cruelty in the right circumstances. maybe u should talk some sense into her, and tell her about some really great dog breeds she might like, or ur favorite dog breeds and why u like them! oh, and why doesnt she just do something simple, like ignoring her stupid specifications and just save a poor dog from being humanely euthanized in a shelter or rescue place????
good luck to her, u, her family, and whatever dog she may get, lol.
The spaniel is her best bet, and she’s just gonna have to deal with the extra hair.
Seriously, she’s asking for too much. She’s lucky that the spaniel meets most of her requirements. The rest on your list would be a disaster, trust me.
My goodness, someone needs a reality check. First of all, small dogs can’t live outside. No dog is easy to train. All breeds need training, and nothing about training is easy. It is only 1 hour for each month of age, plus 1 hour, so a two-month-old puppy can only be alone/hold its potty for 3 hours at the most. Is someone going to be home with this puppy while your friend is at school to take the puppy potty and care and train it? Let’s be real, the puppy can’t be left alone all day while she is at school, even if it is an outside puppy. No puppy is cheap. I have spent 3,000.00 on vet bills this year alone. Puppies have needs and expenses. Normally if someone has never had a dog before, I would recommend a sheltie. Shelties are the smartest breed, and the easiest to train. I think your friend and her family need to do a lot of homework before they even think of getting a puppy. Puppies are very demanding, and stressful, and training takes a ton of time and patience, but if they are willing to do the work, it is worth it.
UM i know that you are concerned but why don’t you let your friend decide what dog She wants and i think they are ready and a dog that suits them would be a Pomeranian and i raly think you should let her decide
well that’s a lot of requirements in a dog, but I think she should get a get a golden retriever it’s not small, but it’s not cheap unless you adopt it it has a good personality, easy to train, it is rarley known for these types of dogs to live outside because they’re people dogs, they are the #1 most common dog in the U.S.A . Um u should ask ur friend if she wants to buy or adopt. Adopting is always the better choice. It’s saving lives so just take some time to think about it.Glad I could help
They have hugely unrealistic expectations. If they do end up with a puppy, it will likely end up in a shelter before long when they realize no living creature is as perfect as what they want.
Yeesh, a puppy is the last thing these people need.
I don’t think she really wants a dog. I certainly wouldn’t sell her one.
May be a stuffed one? Or how about one of those computer ones?
I’ll answer your points one by one.
1. There isn’t such a dog. She’s going to have to exercise it quite a bit.
2. Show her all the research you’ve done as for sizes of dogs.
3. Most any breed fits this category.
4. No such dog. All dogs shed, some less than others. I have a supposedly non-shedding dog(Toy Poodle) and still find fur every so often.
5. Most any breed fits that category.
6. That’s where the owner needs to step up to the plate with exercising the dog quite a bit, and not leave puppies alone for extended periods of time.
7. No dog is “easy” to train. It all depends on how much the owner wants to be consistent with it.
8. All dogs need brushing.
9. If a person doesn’t have time for a dog, they shouldn’t get one.
10. All dogs fit the cute category.
11. No dog should be left outside, unattended. People who do that shouldn’t have dogs if they don’t want to bother with them. These dogs are prime pickings for dognappers, getting loose, killed, etc. Doesn’t matter how sturdy the fence is…a bored dog whose family doesn’t have time for it will get loose.
12. They shouldn’t get a dog, much less a puppy with all their stringent requirements and not wanting to bother with training it and making it live outside.
13. Smaller breeds would fit this category.
14. Most any dog would fit this category.
15. At these ages, good with children doesn’t apply.
Edit: Please tell your friend to reconsider getting a dog.
if she wants a dog that doesnt shed a lot…then a poodle is a good dog breed. not all dogs r easy 2 train either. u would have 2 train them 2 get along wit da cats & other dogs when the dog is still a puppy. but it really depends on wat she wants. just a lil tip 4 ur friend…make sure u dont have ANY shoes, toys, ect on the floor or in the puppys reach. cuz it will eat it very quickly. truse me…i kno. i have a new pup thats already eaten…like…10 pairs of shoes! hope this helps!
Your friend’s expectations are awfully high, for someone that knows very little about dogs. (That’s obvious from her desire list.
Had she told me her wish list, I would have laughed in her face and told her to get a big stuffed dog, and throw it in the yard when she’s tired of it sitting in the house.
Your friend seems to think the ‘breed’ of a dog determines all the ‘qualities’(?) she wants. Honestly, I would be so afraid for her to get a puppy, because from what I understand, it would be put outside, neglected, (because it can’t get up and get it’s own food and water!), and it will either end up a malnourished dog with lots of problems or a dead one.
I hope you get your puppy soon, dear, and it will have a happy and healthy long life. Good luck.