i need help finding a dog..

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unglued

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2007
Messages
119
so in 3 days my co-op should be passing a new pet by-law to allow dogs
the bad part is that dogs will need to be under 25 pounds.
so here is my problem. i don't like small dogs. well, it's not that i hate them, or can't stand them, or anything like that, just that i couldn't see myself with one.

so, i do my own dog walking, i have 2 regular clients, one i walk on weekdays, and the other i walk only on Tuesday and Thursday. so i either do a 1 hour-2 hour walk, or go to the off leash dog park, and when i go there it's usually 2-3 hours. so needless to say I am fairly active. on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays i work at a doggiedaycare, and i could bring my own dogs in for free. so they can play with other dogs then. i am also interested in dog sports, especially flyball and Frisbee.

because of this i need a high energy dog
no chihuahuas, bichons or shih-tzu's please. i want something right at 25 pounds or a bit more (as long as i can get away with it) i have been looking into smaller Australian cattle dogs and border collies.

i also have 2 cats.

any ideas?
 
I wrote a huge reply to this and IE failed on me. Dammit.

My initial advice is for you to find the book Why We Love the Dogs We Do.
http://books.google.ca/books?id=A-kCAAA ... thor:Coren

It's a good read and I think a good start to help you find breeds that fit you. People tend to take certain considerations, like energy level, size and amount of grooming they're willing to do (which is important, of course) but not other personality traits... like how outgoing and friendly a dog is versus a more independent breed.

And then I have a whole pile of questions. Do you have a preference regarding amount of grooming? Do you want a dog that will follow you everywhere or one that is more independent and have their own agenda? Do you want a breed that will challenge your training skills, or that will test you and keep you on your toes? Or would you prefer a breed to want to work for you, stick by your side and have a very constant personality and obedience level? Do you have a preference RE: Male VS Female?

You said you need a high energy dog... there is crazy jack russel high energy that only stops when they get tired, and then there is greyhound high energy... capable of long bursts of energy, but then very happy to sleep all day if you need them to. Lots of dogs that compete in flyball and frisbee are not constant high energy breeds.

Are you only considering pure bred dogs or mixes also? Are you considering rescues or adopting, or would you prefer dogs only from a breeder? Are you willing to wait on a good breeder's (or rescue group's) waiting list?

Regarding breeds mentioned in previous posts: I think you'll find most border collies and cattle dogs will be too heavy. I don't know how much leeway your co-op will be giving and how obsessively they'll be weighing the dogs coming in, LOL. Male Cattle dogs are usually 32-35 lbs, females from 30-35. With borders you're looking anywhere from 30-45 lbs for a male and 27-32 lbs for a female (so, if you looked around you might be able to find a female who would be near the weight range)

Shelties are good, and the coat upkeep is not as bad as one might think. Their weight range is quite large, and some bigger boys would fall outside of your imposed weight restrictions. That said, do shop around thoroughly for your sheltie, as they are known to be skittish and unsure of things sometimes.

Corgis are good, but not quite as fast so you'd be a bit more limited with your choice of sports. Cardigans tend to run 25-30 lbs for both males and females. Pembrokes tend to run 25-30 lbs for males and 24-28 for females. Cardigans tend to be the more reserved of the two, but can also be more dominant/protective than the Pembrokes. Pembrokes tend to be the more excitable, outgoing ones. Their herding instincts are hugehugehuge so on top of everything else you would like to do with your dog I would look into herding trials if you do consider a Corgi. Shelties and Borders would obviously enjoy herding trials, but Corgis really really work it. If it's not something that's addressed they can become heel nippers.

As for Schipperkes, although they are not terriers they were bred to work on boats, and one of their jobs was to catch the rats on board. So keep that in mind. Obviously with any dog you need to be wary of them with your rats, but I certainly wouldn't trust a schippy with them. They are also a very chatty breed, so be wary if you have close neighbours (which I am thinking you do)

I like http://www.dogbreedinfo.com for relatively accurate, unbiased info on different breeds.

As for breeds I'd recommend... well, I'd like to read your answers to my above questions.
 
I've yet to meet a Border Collie under 30 lbs, same with Cattle Dogs. If getting a puppy, it would be very difficult to judge if they will fill out to be within the range. 25 lbs for either breed isn't very common from what I've seen (from breeder websites, flyball, and agility trials). I've been wanting a Border Collie puppy for years, so I am constantly reading up on the breed. One day I'll get one... one day... even if its 10 years from now.

Moon's post is very good, as you definitely need to consider personality and different traits the breed have. My Australian Shepherd has the energy level for dog sports, and I've trained him in flyball and agility (it just costs far too much to continue sadly), but he doesn't always settle down in the house. Somedays he is quiet, other days he tears around the place like a race track squeaking his toys non-stop. I know if I lived in a building with other people, especially during school or something, I wouldn't be able to keep him there.
 
I would recommend a Sheltie as well. The breeder we got our Sheltie from was able to tell us the ones that were going to be oversized/undersized when they were 12 weeks old, we got an oversized one. She was actually way too big about 40lbs (yikes!) but we were told to expect that. I have seen undersized Shelties that are TINY. There is very large size variations in the breed for some reason.

Our Sheltie was a ball of energy when people were up, go go go, but would lay down and relax if everyone in the house was relaxing. She was a major barker though.... constant barking at everything, and there was no training her out of it, that was her personality. I'm not sure how well the barking would go over in a shared place.
 
For those agility teams, don't the dogs have to be pure breds? I asked around in my town once and that's what they told me.

If that's true... why do you think that is?
 
Oh you are right, Jo, I was so angry I almost cried. I had actually written more the first time.

According to the AAC (http://www.aac.ca) : "AAC Agility trials are open to all 4 legged dogs capable of demonstrating the elements of agility and control, and the mental and physical ability to carry out the required tests. A dog is eligible to compete without regard or pedigree." This is for events put on by the AAC.

The AAC has been holding Agility matches in Canada the longest, the CKC only began in 2007. CKC matches are only open to CKC registered dogs. To register a dog with the CKC, it must first come from a registered litter. This is the breeder's responsibility. Registering a dog with the CKC is possible if it's already registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) or imported from another country, but there are additional forms to fill out.

Obedience and things of that nature are not my strong points, so things could have changed. Beyond agility there is also Rally Obedience, which is becoming more and more popular. Rally matches are put on by CARO (http://www.canadianrallyo.ca/), and are open to all dogs.
 
There are by far more AAC Agility trials in Ontario than CKC. AAC is open to all dogs, regardless of breed. CKC as said, is only available to dogs who are registered with the Club.

Most sports are open to all dogs regardless of breed. Flyball, Frisbee, Agility, Dock Dogs.. you can compete with any type :) I'm not sure about obedience though, as I've never looked into it.
 
You know what, I've never really looked into Dock Dogs before.. and that's totally something Rocko could do!!

Now I have to find a "fun jump"..

/end hijack
 
i would love to get a corgie someday they are so lovely and cute i adore the pembrooke kind i heard that corgis are like a big dog in a little dogs body :)
 
There was a Boston Terrier in my flyball classes... wow that little dog was fast and smart! He did amazing at flyball, and I'm sure he's gone on to do very well in competition.
 
Well this is confusing, but my building did NOT pass the new pet by-law. however it's not the manager/board of directors it's the members who got scared into not allowing dogs because they are 'dirty' and will defecate in the hall ways, pee on the grass.. blah blah. however they cannot kick out any existing dogs (there are 4 living here that i know of, it's an 8 floor building, 12 apartments per floor, i think.) because there are no complaints. They would get sued if they tried.

Next January at the next board meeting they are going to make it official that existing dogs can stay as long as they are not posing a problem (everyone is scared someone with 3 dogs is going to let them bark all day and 'go' everywhere, like the last guy with big dogs.)

SO they can't evict me for owning a dog, and soon I will be allowed to keep the dog I (might) have. so there isn't much of a problem.. I would not get rid of a dog because someone has a problem with it. I would move, but not without putting up a fight first.

what do you all think?

oh and shelties- no i don't think i could have one in an apartment, if it weren't for vocal cords i would consider it! I love corgis, my friend has a Pembroke, and some time next year she will get a cardi. thing is though, i want to adopt. corgi's aren't abundant here, you have to go to a breeder for one.

to be honest i just want a huge rottweiler :D
 
And then I have a whole pile of questions. Do you have a preference regarding amount of grooming? Do you want a dog that will follow you everywhere or one that is more independent and have their own agenda? Do you want a breed that will challenge your training skills, or that will test you and keep you on your toes? Or would you prefer a breed to want to work for you, stick by your side and have a very constant personality and obedience level? Do you have a preference RE: Male VS Female?
Click to expand...

amount of grooming is not very important, although not to the point where i have to take the dog to a groomer. i love brushing out dogs. as to how independednt a dog it, i would like it to be a bit more of a velcro dog.
for training, i like to teach tricks. so somethng overly stubborn like a hound ould not be good. i can handle a dog that is too smart, but eagerness to please is important too.
i don't care if it's male or female.
 
Well this is a tricky one. Finally, someone brings up something I feel I know enough about to be useful. :lol:

If you aren't looking for a dog from a breeder you may have trouble finding a dog that suits your needs simply because often the humane societies take a wild guess about the lineage. I recall a dog that looked 100% Doberman to me but he was marked as a Shepherd cross...perhaps because his ears and tail weren't cropped. Unless you know the parents it's hard to say how big they'll get.

My first thought was Shetland Sheepdog as well but you're right in that they have vocal cords and more often than not, will use them. I wouldn't recommend the Australian Cattle Dog...please note anything I say is a generalization and I know there are exceptions to every statement I make, to avoid offending someone. They're one family dogs and, for the most part, don't seem to enjoy the company of other dogs a whole lot and from the ones I've met, they tend to be rather stubborn and independent.

The most efficient strategy I know of is to look at what the dog was bred for. Herding, Sporting and Working dogs are accustomed to working with humans and thus are more likely to learn quickly. This is not to say other dogs lack this trait, of course, I'm simply saying you're more likely to find an eager to learn dog among those rather wide groups. They're all energetic! But they're mostly over 30 lbs.

Here's a breed I never would have suggested had I not been assigned to dogsit...a Coton du Tulear (sp?). There is SO MUCH DOG in those! And they don't shed, so yay. This boy had never met me but was very eager to play and made himself right at home. I'd walk him for an hour and he'd still have energy to run around the house. Granted, he was only a year old. They're certainly bigger than photos may lead you to believe. I always thought they were one of those sissy fluffy kinds. ;) They would, however, require a haircut from time to time.

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is another option but good luck finding one that wasn't born with a heart murmur and lives past the age of six. : x

Ohhh or the Alaskan Klee Kai or something...my friend's sister has one of those. He's apparently a little fireball.

Other than those two I think you'd have to delve into the breeds you didn't want to consider, lol. I know there's a Miniature Australian Shephern or North American Shepherd (never learned what name the clubs settled on) but Australian Shepherds are powerhouses and need like two hours minimum a day. That's offlead. : /
 
i feel like such a downer for saying this
no to a coton du tulear
no to a Cavalier King Charles because of health
and no to Alaskan Klee Kai's because it's not the dog for me, and again, i would have to go to a breeder.
a BIG no to mini aussies unless possible doption, but they rarley areup for adoption, i just don't agree with them being bred.

ideally i would want to adopt a medium sized dog(with no 'aggressive breeds' mixed in, not my choice, but would be much easier to keep such a dog) around 2 years old form a rescue not a shelter, that is active and willing to learn, and good with dogs, cats, and kids. but i think i am asking for too much :p
 
I personally wouldn't want any of the breeds I mentioned either, but it's hard finding a non-toy dog that's still tiny. :laugh2:

What do you mean by medium sized in terms of weight?

It's likely going to be hard to find a purebred of that size range...but there are always breed specific adoption centers, but there aren't many of them (per breed).
 
unglued said:
so in 3 days my co-op should be passing a new pet by-law to allow dogs
the bad part is that dogs will need to be under 25 pounds.
so here is my problem. i don't like small dogs. well, it's not that i hate them, or can't stand them, or anything like that, just that i couldn't see myself with one.

so, i do my own dog walking, i have 2 regular clients, one i walk on weekdays, and the other i walk only on Tuesday and Thursday. so i either do a 1 hour-2 hour walk, or go to the off leash dog park, and when i go there it's usually 2-3 hours. so needless to say I am fairly active. on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays i work at a doggiedaycare, and i could bring my own dogs in for free. so they can play with other dogs then. i am also interested in dog sports, especially flyball and Frisbee.

because of this i need a high energy dog
no chihuahuas, bichons or shih-tzu's please. i want something right at 25 pounds or a bit more (as long as i can get away with it) i have been looking into smaller Australian cattle dogs and border collies.

i also have 2 cats.

any ideas?
Click to expand...

that is the lamest thing I have ever heard! They should either allow dogs or they should let it be. So what happens if someone's chihuahua is a huge eater and winds up weighing 40 pounds? :) 8) (I know... really bad humor on my part... sue me)

Seriously, if they are worried about dog types then they should limit that. But to limit a dog's weight is ludicrous.
 

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