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Hello dog people. Hoping you could help narrow down some choices for us.
I have recently retired and my husband will be in another couple years. We have no children but have had cats ( still do) out entire 30 + years together. We have never had dogs not even as children.
We would like to get a puppy. We are considering a Bernese Mountain dog, a Boston Terrier or a shelter puppy.
We have always loved the Bernese but they are very big dogs. Maybe too big for a first time owner?
One of the concerns we have is that we live in a 100 year old house that has no duct work so no central air. Except for our bedroom it can get really hot in here for at least a few days in the summer. The Bostons can have some breathing issues in the heat I have been told.
What we are lookng for is a companion. We spend a lot of time in the yard in the spring summer and a lot of time at home. A walking partner would be great also.
A shelter puppy is possible also but would want to stay away from the herding breeds because of the cats and an unknown history might be a concern.
Thanks for reading all this and any advice you might have as to helping us narrow down all these choices!
Stay away from dogs with drooling jowls. Great danes, St Bernards, mastiffs, etc. Otherwise you and your house will be covered in slime. They shake their heads and it's slobber all over. Larger dogs are more apt to have issues with hip dysplasia or bloating. Do your homework on any breed you are interested in. Terriers are very active. Will you take the time to exercise one? Bigger dogs need more than a backyard has to offer. I recommend going to dog school with your dog. Even small dogs need to have manners. Some can be vicious. Some yap non stop. Don't be that neighbor.
Rescuing is good, but many are in need of rescue because they have issues. Vet care isn't cheap. It's right up there with human medicine.
Now that I have mentioned the bad things - dogs can be great
You could consider fostering a dog or puppy. That would give you an idea of what to expect and to see how much of an issue it might be for your cats.
Agree about the drooling. Bernese Mountain dogs typically have a dry mouth I believe, but they are big, and have a lot of fur. Be prepared to groom, brush, brush, groom, and vacuum a lot. Also they don’t tend to be long lived. And they are quite expensive to purchase.
Contrary to how it might seem, short haired dogs like Bostons can shed like the dickens. Pugs are great little dogs, but my god do they shed!
Fostering might be a good idea, just to get the feel of having a dog. I like the idea of a shelter pup rather than a purchased purebred. There are so many needing homes!
Some Bernese Mountain dogs drool. Some don't. They are gentle and calm in the house. I would expect them to be good with cats as long as they are properly introduced and supervised. There is a lot of hair to keep on top of, combing it out and vacuuming it up.
Boston Terriers are energetic. That is a breed that puppy mills breed and sell and they don't care about temperament, so if you get Boston, go to a reputable show breeder who spends a lot of effort doing pedigree research on health and temperament. A good Boston can be a priceless family member. A bad Boston from a bad breeder can be a nightmare of strange behavior and health issues.
A mutt from the pound is pot luck. Some are brilliant pets and some got dumped at the pound due to their own behavior problems. Usually those behavior problems can be trained out of them if you make the effort. Sometimes they can't Training only goes so far to correct bad temperament.
If you want "big" look at the Leonberger. Giant, gentle, purposely developed and bred for the past 100 years to be a family pet. Reliable temperament with good judgement. Some are sleepy natured and some are what they call "turbo bergers" who are go-go-go. The breeder should be able t tell which puppy is which.
If the Bernese Mountain dog is just about the color, Cavalier Spaniels also come in that color and they are calm lap dogs, beautiful and easy to live with, and athletic enough to go on long walks.
I have had dogs most of my 62 years on this earth. Each one was a rescued shelter pup. In the beginning I had a trainer help me until I began to get very confident that I can train them myself.
Every dog I have owned has been amazing. Most every time shelter dogs are no different than pure breeds or high end dogs... in fact you can research the fact that they are much more healthier due to the mixed genes, which is often a very major and expensive issue with pure breeds.
I will always opt to save. And I fully support what puginabug said... foster first and learn about what life will be like with a best friend by your side. Do your research on breed tendencies including shedding, drooling, energy levels, etc. Even shelter dogs can have tendencies of the breeds they represent.
With our furry friends you get back what you are willing to put into them. A professional trainer is worth their weight in gold for new pup owners.
Lastly I'm a big dog fan, my pups have always been over 40 lbs, the last few over 75 lbs. Trained correctly they are great to walk with, give you confidence that they will die if they had to in order to protect you, and love you more than any person you will ever meet.
Good luck with your journey Sonny. Saved pups bring out the very best in us. You'll see.
There is a lot to consider here. First off, a lot of homework in learning about the different breeds, housebreaking, leash training (will the owners be strong enough to handle a very large dog on the leash), crate training would seem necessary with a puppy or dog in a larger and older home also. Being a senior, myself, the considerations that I have to make are different than when I was younger, so if OP is a senior, there are different considerations to take into account. Another important issue is the cats, as OP will need to know how to introduce the dog, and what breeds are a better bet to start out with, as some dogs will kill a cat - I have seen it recently when a couple of neighborhood dogs got out, and have seen a few ads of "free" dog due to issues with their cats.
I would be very concerned about the Boston Terrier and heat. I have seen the French Bulldogs and Pugs here in the heat, just to be in the yard for a short time in the summer heat, they were huffing and puffing. Large dogs are great, but as they age, they often need assistance on stairs, or loading into the vehicle. We had two seniors at one time, and an SUV with a ramp for the dogs.
I suggest doing the dog quizzes online (Google "What breed should I get?), as there are several, and I would do at least 3 of them (results can vary), and then reading about the breed. Once I selected one, I would go to a breed specific forum, and look at what issues the owners have had with that particular breed.
Dogs are great, BUT they require a commitment, and it is a totally different experience than having a cat or two. We moved with dogs and cats, and traveled with them all plus a guinea pig!
Oh boy!
Thanks to all of you for the response and advice!
I love the idea of fostering but the the shelters around here will only accept experienced dog owners to foster puppies and I really would feel safer with a puppy because of the cats.
Puppy training classes would be a must for me no matter which dog. Luckily most of our friends/family have dogs also
Please do not buy a puppy when there are umpteen thousand suitable dogs awaiting adoption in a foster home. There are many assertions about a problem dog from the pound in this thread but do consider how many are abandoned daily either to the pound or thrown out of a car due to financial constraints. A website like Petfinder is a valuable tool out there to help you find the perfect dog who has been vetted for behavior purposes in a foster home and is up to date on vaccinations/checkups. You can search by breed or size of dog as well as if child and/or cat-friendly. https://www.petfinder.com/search/dog...recently_added
Just remember that a puppy as opposed to a dog will have limitless energy, be a bundle of nerves and over-excitement, and need to be housebroken. Consider the ages of your cats, too, facing all that.
Please do not buy a puppy when there are umpteen thousand suitable dogs awaiting adoption in a foster home. There are many assertions about a problem dog from the pound in this thread but do consider how many are abandoned daily either to the pound or thrown out of a car due to financial constraints. A website like Petfinder is a valuable tool out there to help you find the perfect dog who has been vetted for behavior purposes in a foster home and is up to date on vaccinations/checkups. You can search by breed or size of dog as well as if child and/or cat-friendly. https://www.petfinder.com/search/dog...recently_added
I've had 17 or 18 fosters and my recommendation to the OP is to...buy a dog (puppy) from a reputable breeder.
Breeds? Lots of them. A hound, if you aren't going to be bothered by a bit of barking. A lab or golden retriever? Hard to go wrong. Pointing Breeds? A Bracco or a Griffon might be the way to go. Herding dogs? An old English Sheep dog. An Aussie Shepherd or Border collie is likely too much energy. Also consider a standard poodle, maybe a standard schnauzer.
Would a Pit Bull be a good fit for the OP? Honestly, a rescue Pibble would probably be a great choice. But I think the OP doesn't want that, for obvious and understandable reasons.
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