My extent of dog knowledge is from reading & research just begun. So, I
hope some of you out there can recommend the breed(s)I should favor.

Environment: Home with fenced yard. Want a family dog, primarily as
companion to a 10 and 13 year old boy. Prefer a smaller sized dog,
affectionate, low aggression, and fairly easy to housebreak. Want to
avoid long hairs.

We will probably purchase from a shelter, so a mix is most likely.

"Tommy Kelly" wrote in message
news:1068235201.555344@ph9cache...
My extent of dog knowledge is from reading & research just begun. So, I
hope some of you out there can recommend the breed(s)I should favor.

Environment: Home with fenced yard. Want a family dog, primarily as
companion to a 10 and 13 year old boy. Prefer a smaller sized dog,
affectionate, low aggression, and fairly easy to housebreak. Want to
avoid long hairs.

We will probably purchase from a shelter, so a mix is most likely.



Write down a list of things you'd like to do with the dog ~ eg, if you like
to go on car journeys and you'd like to take your dog with you, if you have
that on your list, you can ask staff to help you find someone who is a
particularly keen traveller, as opposed to the dog that gets car sick.

Also consider 'dog traits' which will and won't bother you ~ if you are a
keen gardener you might want to avoid choosing a dog that has a known
digging habit, but if you really aren't so worried then write that down ~
personally, I don't mind the 'crater look' ~ its worth it to see the
enjoyment the dog gets out of it and once dug, the earth is soft enough to
fill the hole back in again.

Dogs that bark a lot can be great fun and a nightmare ~ would you (*and
you're neighbours) be happy to live with someone who expressed themselves in
a more vocal way? ...or would it drive you nuts? (personally, I don't mind
the odd woof for fun but would avoid particularly vocal dogs).

Is this a 'family' dog, or is all the responsibility to fall on your son?
'Teen years' are awful years and even the most responsible kid can have a
lot of trouble coping through adolescence ~ will you be there to back up and
support, feeding and exercising as well as ensuring the dog has your
companionship should your son shirk his duties a little?... again, I like to
think of my dog as part of our family and a full member in her own right,
not my dog or hubby's dog. She was chosen with both our interest in mind and
true to form, I get the side that involves exercise, training and poop
scooping, and hubby gets the bit that involves being snuggled up on the sofa
watching movies with her :-)

I hope this has helped a little ~ and good luck at the shelter ~ they can be
quite stressful places as I remember so prepare yourself well and remember
that there are lots and lots of dogs to choose from, but the one that most
closely matches your hopes and lifestyle will be the right one, so try to
look to your check list and stick to your main points rather than rashly
choosing a dog because you feel sorry for it or she has a pretty coat.

Diana

On Fri, 07 Nov 2003 14:59:45 -0500, Tommy Kelly
wrote:

My extent of dog knowledge is from reading & research just begun.

So you had no dog growing up?

So, I
hope some of you out there can recommend the breed(s)I should favor.

Environment: Home with fenced yard.

Run free area or leash law or ...?

Want a family dog, primarily as
companion to a 10 and 13 year old boy. Prefer a smaller sized dog,

I like larger dogs, but my lady has a great mini Schnauser...loves
kids and adults, tame to extreme. No hair problem...what's with the
avoid long hair? Spoiled, but that's not his fault.

Best I ever had was Sheba, Shep-Collie mix, great loving dog.

And Diana talks too much. Just get a dog...it'll all work out IF you
treat it well, and your kids will love it and you. Whatever mix it is,
but younger is prolly better. Take a little time to train it to sit,
or most importantly to COME, and to STAY (as in don't come across the
street to me when a car's coming!)

Good luck,
Brad

affectionate, low aggression, and fairly easy to housebreak. Want to
avoid long hairs.

We will probably purchase from a shelter, so a mix is most likely.