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I have had dogs my whole life , been involved with rescue, fostering , fundraising etc ,I would always say rescue a dog,
look into your local pound or rescue , the local dog will be adjusted to your areas climate as well the water source, other things to take into consideration are the flea/tick and mosquito population ( mosquitos spread heartworm).
when working with a local rescue they should be able to match a dog with your lifestyle and situation and you will be saving 2 lives
I'll second the Cavalier comment from Nov3. Wonderful dogs.
Too many serious, potentially lethal health problems, so you'd better have easy access to specialist vet care. There was a time I considered a cavalier spaniel for my next dog (a friend owned one) but reading about the breed changed my mind pretty quickly. Something like 50+% of them will inherit/develop early onset heart disease. Almost all of them will have it by the time they reach 10 years old. Then there are inherited neurological problems that affect more than half of them. Breeders have done this nice little dog no favors.
Last edited by Parnassia; 03-18-2024 at 03:27 PM..
Too many serious, potentially lethal health problems, so you'd better have easy access to specialist vet care. There was a time I considered a cavalier spaniel for my next dog (a friend owned one) but reading about the breed changed my mind pretty quickly. Something like 50+% of them will inherit/develop early onset heart disease. Almost all of them will have it by the time they reach 10 years old. Then there are inherited neurological problems that affect more than half of them. Breeders have done this nice little dog no favors.
We've been blessed with seven Cavaliers now. All but one from reputable breeders that do the appropriate health testing. None of the four that are gone died from (or had any) of the known issues. One was 11, two approaching 13, and one a bit over 13 years old.
Of the 146 available for re-homing on Petfinder, I'd be willing to bet only a scant few will have come from reputable breeders.
Nobody that buys a puppy from a breeder is going to talk bad about anyone that chooses to adopt from a shelter. In fact, a great many of us have also had shelter/rescue dogs.
We've been blessed with seven Cavaliers now. All but one from reputable breeders that do the appropriate health testing. None of the four that are gone died from (or had any) of the known issues. One was 11, two approaching 13, and one a bit over 13 years old.
Good to hear! I assume there are reliable tests that detect those traits in young puppies.
If your dog clock is ticking, take heed. It's a wonderful opportunity to learn about a whole different species and their language. But I would also advise against getting a puppy. I had been a cat person all my life, but in my 40s I started feeling a physical need for--a dog (not a baby, a dog). Fortunately DH had had lots of dogs, so he went along. Did tons of research about breeds and training, went to shelters, picked the brains of dog owner friends. Found a cute 9 week old puppy at a Humane Society, brought her home to a dog proofed house. And all the research didn't matter one bit--I was clueless. I didn't understand her language, and she was too young to understand human signs and words. She bit and fought, and wouldn't cuddle. She ate the couch and every bit of cardboard she could find. No puppy love at all. It was so bad that I had sleepless nights, filled with regrets over having made a terrible decision affecting our everyday life, and derailing a poor puppy's childhood. If DH hadn't been a dog person, we'd have had to return the pup, but he took over the training. And then, within 2 months...I learned her language, she learned ours, and she became First Dog, our beloved, intelligent, loyal companion for 13 years, and I've been a dog person ever since. But the notion that all puppies are easy, and cute, and eager to learn, forget it. They are essentially wild animals, and civilizing them is for experienced owners.
I suggest a medium-sized rescue dog of more than 3 years, from a breed rescue group, a dog whose history is known. Best of luck. It can be one of the best decisions you've ever made.
I'm 68 years old and all the dogs I've ever had have been full blooded mutts. As a friend says, a Heinz breed...57 varieties. But they seem to be the smartest dogs. They behave, easy to housebreak, and you've got a life long friend!
I'm not going to give you actual breed advice - i will agree with those who say to look up everything you can online about breeds you are considering. Read on several different online sources to make sure you get as much info as you can - about physical health, attitude, personality, activity level, grooming, etc.
BUT - i will give this advice: ADOPT, don't shop! I've had a dog since i was 6 years old - i'm now 64.
I had always gotten puppies - they were purchased before i learned the facts about puppy mills and industrial and backyard breeders. But once i knew better, i did better.
What my partner and i really learned this last time WAS - no more puppies for us. We are too old to go thru puppy-hood again, and adopting a Senior was so fulfilling. (Of course, you do not have to adopt a Senior but it worked for us.) Just adopting a grown dog that is waiting for a home will be good enough! It's wonderful for both you AND the dog <3 (AND the shelter!)
The last puppy we had gotten at 8 weeks we loved SO MUCH. And she got osteosarcoma of the rib cage at only 4 years old. That taught us that you really never know how long you will have a dog. (AND she was a naughty puppy!) At 4 years old she was finally coming into her adulthood and learning to behave.
We love big dogs, our girl now is 80 lbs. We rescued her when she was 9 years old and had been in the shelter for 2 years. She is amazing - and the most loving and grateful dog we've ever met.
I wish you the best in your decision-making and life with your new dog.
I am a bit in your position OP, retired and living in a 100+ year old house with no central air. But we don't suffer, with all the tree shade a few cheap Walmart window units is all we need. I also have been a dog owner all my life and I can't imagine retirement without one. Nikki is my favorite form of entertainment and it's cheaper than buying a boat.
I have raised German Shepherds from puppies and I have adopted a rescue. The puppies have all grown to be very well behaved dogs, the rescue was always a challenge. As a first time dog owner I would be concerned about your ability to handle a challenging dog, you cats may not be safe. Now you can always rescue a puppy but the problem is you don't know what you are getting. The neighbors rescued a puppy that looked like a beagle but grew up to be huge and too big for their situation.
I would suggest you either get a puppy, and come here for advise, or adopt a senior who was given up due to the age of the owner and is OK with cats. If it does not work out you can always return the dog.
Oh and teach them to fetch a ball or Frisbee. This will be a blessing when they are ready to go and you are not, a big problem for us seniors. With Nikki I simply throw a Frisbee to her from the back porch, often I'm still in my bathrobe, and let her do all the work. It's not that hard to teach them. When they get the ball or disc lure them back to you with a treat so they won't just take off with it. Big praise and the next reward is another throw. Lather, rinse and repeat. If it's a puppy throw the ball down a hallway, once they get it their instinct it to run and with this setup they can only run to you.
I've had dogs my entire life. All different breeds and Heinz 57s It is good to do your research on what breed will best suit your tolerance for certain things, such as 'needs alot of exercise,' is a shedder, barker, whiner, drooler, needy, protective, etc.
The BEST piece of advice I can give, not about breeds, is GET PET INSURANCE for whatever animal you bring into your home to love. Vet care is very expensive as we have again experienced with our blue heeler.
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I've had a dog since i was 6 years old - i'm now 64.
It is good to do your research on what breed will best suit your tolerance for certain things, such as 'needs alot of exercise,' is a shedder, barker, whiner, drooler, needy, protective, etc. 
