Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

We are looking for a dog that will be 35-40 pounds max full grown. Also must be short hair or medium hair. The problem is that we don't like the typical small dog. We would like to find one that is not a foo foo dog like all the whatever poo's and stuff. They are all cute but not for us. Any advice would be very helpful. thanks

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

Activity level should be the NUMBER One concern.. and INTELLIGENCE...

smart active dogs (eg. Border Collies) need a lot of mental stimulation or will become bored and destructive if they dont have a job to do..

it will be irresponsible for anyone here to suggest breeds without knowing your activity level and commitment to keeping your dog busy -

do you want a couch potatoe who can be happy home alone? or do you want a dog that can run 2 miles a day with you?

PLEASE consider a mutt from your local shelter...

if in the USA visit this link http://dogsindanger.com/

Do not get a dog unless your yard is fenced..

NEVER NEVER get one from a pet store.

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

Pit bull, jack Russel

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

A spaniel maybe? A beagle or a terrier might be good to consider as well.

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

I would go for a sheltie, they are really friendly and smart. They're cute too, and not too small.

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

A beagle mix is great. Beagles average 20-30 pounds, but if you adopt a beagle mix from a shelter, you can probably get one a bit bigger. Beagles are pretty tough dogs. They're cute, but they keep going for it, and the mixes are no different. You could run with them for hours and they'll never tire out. Plus, they've got just about the sweetest personalities ever.

Probably the worst thing though, is that beagles shed year round. If you're going to adopt one, bring out the vacuum.

http://www.petfinder.com

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

try a cocker spaniel. their good with kids and they have short hair. they arent a foo foo dog because they are used for hunting. they spacialize in birds. the are also good house companions when treated well. just like any other dog. but i think that they are the best for a family that doent want any foo foo dogs but they still want a small dog.

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

Get a Beagle!!!!!!!!!!!!

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

It sounds like you'd really like a beagle. Female dogs, in general, are smaller in size, so if you're considering another breed, consider getting a female. Boxers are also great, but can get slightly large.

www.dogbreedinfo.com is a gret place to look at different dogs and their traits!

good luck!

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

go to www.puppyfind.com

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

A Wheaton Terrier would be my choice if I had enough space for one. Beautiful dog, very intelligent, not a barker except as a protector.

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

A Giant Schnauzer! Schnauzers are really cool dogs. They aren't really giant, they are just giant for schnauzers. No, I don't have one, but I think I'd like to.

We have a chocolate lab, which I love, and a german shorthair. The Chocolate is the best, easiest dog I've ever owned. He is smart, fun, easy to train and loveable.

The german was a pain when she was younger - honestly, it's a really good thing we loved her so much!

Don't get a beagle unless you love chasing your dog all over the planet and staying up all night listening to howling.

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

The English springer spaniel is a very loyal dog and do not get very large and can cut hair however you like (they look best with a shave instead of long hair)

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

I think you should try to get a "Golden Retreiver" They are the best sociable dogs. We had one for 15 years from an 8 week od puppy until the dog died 15 years later. They are great around children and never hurt them. The little children can play with them for hours and they will never get vicious with children. When my neice and nephew were little kds they used to come and visit us and the dog was excellent with the kids.

Also for us the dog gave us such pleasure that he was really like one of the family. We would take him to the beach in the summer evenings for a run and a dip in the water.

They get to be about 40 punds I think but even though they are on the somewhat large size for a dog their personality is like that of a little child. You will have hours and hours of fun with them. They do tend to shed a lot in the warm weather but that is a small price to pay for the immense pleasure that your whole family will get when you bring home a Golden Retreiver. (You can see how often that that type of dog is shown in television commercials.)

Anyway what ever your decision I wish you the best with your new dog.

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

Check to see if there is a dog training club in your city or close by. Go on a night they are having class and you will see a variety of breeds. Talk to the owners to see what they think of their chosen breed.

If you have small children a cocker is not the dog for you. Cockers are not very tolerant of small kids pulling on ears and rough handling. You never hear about it but cockers have a high incidence of biting and it's mostly very small children.

Whether you have a house vs an apartment plays a big part of what breed would be best. Is the dog going to be an inside dog? If you are looking for a dog and plan on leaving it in the back yard most of the time, don't get one. It's unfair to the dog.

Do your research before you get one and don't buy on an impulse because it's a cute puppy.

If and when you get one, take it to some obedience classes to teach it some manners and learn what is and isn't acceptable. For classes look up a training club(akc.org or ukcdogs.com), not Petsmart/Petco. Most of the folks at the training clubs have been doing it for quite sometime and do it because they love training dogs, not for the money. The club I belong to, Tulsa Dog Training Club(www.tulsadogs.com) has been around for 60 years with some of the instructors having 30 years of teaching experience. And noone in the club gets paid to teach. It's all volunteer.

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

1. While breeds have tendencies, EVERY dog is an individual with its own temperament. So comments about breeds are generalizations at most.

2. Do temperament testing. The most common one is the Volhard Temperament test (usually done around 8 weeks) that will give you a sense of what your puppy is likely to turn out to be. It's available on-line or through the Volhard's website or in some books (for instance, I think Karen Volhard has authored one of the "For Dummies" books that is relevant to dogs).

3. What about your lifestyle? For instance, do you have an enclosed backyard? Do you have other pets? Children or toddlers? Do you like going out for a run or long walks every day? Do you like to travel (and if so--drive versus fly)? Do you mind a dog that sheds a lot (it's not just the length of the hair but if they're double-coated)? Do you mind a vocal dog (that barks a lot or are you in an apartment where a quiet pet is critical)?Those are all relevant questions. If you like to travel (and fly), you either want a dog under 20 lbs or you'll play for a lot of kennel charges. If you have small kids than you don't want a dominant dog (that will try to tell the toddler what to do) or a dog that responds sharply to mistreatment by kids. If you like to lounge around or don't spend an hour a day walking or running or outside, than working breeds or many terriers would be terrible fits (they'll get bored and then destructive around your house or apartment).

4. Think about a rescue. If you won't do a rescue then absolutely (a) don't get a dog from a petstore (it's the worst scenario possible plus you reward puppy mills and likely get a dog with poor genes) and (b) don't get a puppy before 8 weeks old (in weeks 5-8, the puppies are socialized in the litter and learn from their mates and mom what is and is not appropriate in terms of play--take them out early and you get a puppy who may not realize that biting hard isn't appropriate). And whatever dog you get and whatever age, go to classes with it. You see, the classes aren't to train the dog, they're to train the owner.

5. Here are a couple of breeds to check out:

--Border Collie (very smart, requires a lot of exercise and a job, great performance dog such as in agility)

--Cocker Spaniels (sensitive dogs, very agile, potential grooming issues--probably a bit small for what you're looking for).

--Kerry Blue Terriers (don't do well with other dogs in the household, don't require a lot of exercise, social)

--Rat Terriers, standard or Decker variations, toys and miniatures are under 20 pounds (smart, quiet, have an "off" switch compared to Jack Russells, really connects with their human, need exercise or intellectual challenges).

--Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier (long haired but don't shed much, don't require a lot of exercise).

--Whippet (require a couple of good walks but otherwise will seek a sunny spot to sleep in, quiet, not great for cold-weather locations).

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

A puggle? A pug ad beagle mix, they are cute

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

We picked up a golden retreiver/border collie mix at a flea market...complete with fleas...5 years ago %26amp; she is the funniest, smartest dog we've ever had. In the past we had shelties which were extremely intelligent %26amp; this mixed breed is as smart %26amp; requires less brushing/grooming.

Help us figure out what kind of dog to get?

A cocker spaniel, they are so loving and loyal.Not big barkers like some of the smaller breeds they are really playful too.