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#1
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Adoption question
This looks like a informative group. I wish to adopt a dog. I want a dog
for companionship and one that would alert me when someone approaches the front door. Very few other demands: medium size any breed or mixture. doesn't have to be cute or pretty. any sex or age. I have one requirement . The dog must be smart. In the past I have had a dog that was not so smart and another that was semi intelligent. I want my next animal to be intelligent. When adopting a child It would be out of line to request a smart kid. When adopting a dog would this demand be wrong or offensive? I contacted a rescue shelter here in Phoenix and got a cold shoulder. I got the feeling it was because of my request for a smart dog. Could I get some input from the group on this before I go any futher? Sorry to be so long a post. |
#2
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"Donald Miller" wrote in message
... This looks like a informative group. I wish to adopt a dog. I want a dog for companionship and one that would alert me when someone approaches the front door. Very few other demands: medium size any breed or mixture. doesn't have to be cute or pretty. any sex or age. I have one requirement . The dog must be smart. In the past I have had a dog that was not so smart and another that was semi intelligent. I want my next animal to be intelligent. When adopting a child It would be out of line to request a smart kid. When adopting a dog would this demand be wrong or offensive? I contacted a rescue shelter here in Phoenix and got a cold shoulder. I got the feeling it was because of my request for a smart dog. Could I get some input from the group on this before I go any futher? Sorry to be so long a post. There are different kinds of smart. Do you want a problem-solver, a fast learner, a manipulator? Depending on your definition of "intelligent" you'll get different responses. I would caution you against some of the really big "thinking" breeds because they will stay one step ahead of you. The ones who are major thinkers are always mentally on-the-go and without a job to do or alot of activity, you'll have trouble on your hands. Another note is that while some breeds can be less intelligent overall, alot has to do with training. If the dog was trained then its going to act smarter than the untrained dog. I guess its really one of those things that there's no "right" answer to. When you contact a rescue group again, you may want to be more specific with your request. Think about the questions I posed and come up with what your definition of "smart" is so that you can relay that preference better. I have a feeling what you really mean is a dog that has high trainability but I could be wrong. -- Tara |
#3
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"Donald Miller" wrote in message
... This looks like a informative group. I wish to adopt a dog. I want a dog for companionship and one that would alert me when someone approaches the front door. Very few other demands: medium size any breed or mixture. doesn't have to be cute or pretty. any sex or age. I have one requirement . The dog must be smart. In the past I have had a dog that was not so smart and another that was semi intelligent. I want my next animal to be intelligent. When adopting a child It would be out of line to request a smart kid. When adopting a dog would this demand be wrong or offensive? I contacted a rescue shelter here in Phoenix and got a cold shoulder. I got the feeling it was because of my request for a smart dog. Could I get some input from the group on this before I go any futher? Sorry to be so long a post. There are different kinds of smart. Do you want a problem-solver, a fast learner, a manipulator? Depending on your definition of "intelligent" you'll get different responses. I would caution you against some of the really big "thinking" breeds because they will stay one step ahead of you. The ones who are major thinkers are always mentally on-the-go and without a job to do or alot of activity, you'll have trouble on your hands. Another note is that while some breeds can be less intelligent overall, alot has to do with training. If the dog was trained then its going to act smarter than the untrained dog. I guess its really one of those things that there's no "right" answer to. When you contact a rescue group again, you may want to be more specific with your request. Think about the questions I posed and come up with what your definition of "smart" is so that you can relay that preference better. I have a feeling what you really mean is a dog that has high trainability but I could be wrong. -- Tara |
#4
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"Donald Miller" wrote in message
... This looks like a informative group. I wish to adopt a dog. I want a dog for companionship and one that would alert me when someone approaches the front door. Very few other demands: medium size any breed or mixture. doesn't have to be cute or pretty. any sex or age. I have one requirement . The dog must be smart. In the past I have had a dog that was not so smart and another that was semi intelligent. I want my next animal to be intelligent. When adopting a child It would be out of line to request a smart kid. When adopting a dog would this demand be wrong or offensive? I contacted a rescue shelter here in Phoenix and got a cold shoulder. I got the feeling it was because of my request for a smart dog. Could I get some input from the group on this before I go any futher? Sorry to be so long a post. There are different kinds of smart. Do you want a problem-solver, a fast learner, a manipulator? Depending on your definition of "intelligent" you'll get different responses. I would caution you against some of the really big "thinking" breeds because they will stay one step ahead of you. The ones who are major thinkers are always mentally on-the-go and without a job to do or alot of activity, you'll have trouble on your hands. Another note is that while some breeds can be less intelligent overall, alot has to do with training. If the dog was trained then its going to act smarter than the untrained dog. I guess its really one of those things that there's no "right" answer to. When you contact a rescue group again, you may want to be more specific with your request. Think about the questions I posed and come up with what your definition of "smart" is so that you can relay that preference better. I have a feeling what you really mean is a dog that has high trainability but I could be wrong. -- Tara |
#5
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Donald Miller wrote:
This looks like a informative group. I wish to adopt a dog. I want a dog for companionship and one that would alert me when someone approaches the front door. Very few other demands: medium size any breed or mixture. doesn't have to be cute or pretty. any sex or age. I have one requirement . The dog must be smart. In the past I have had a dog that was not so smart and another that was semi intelligent. I want my next animal to be intelligent. As others have pointed out, many really smart dogs...require something to keep them mentally busy all the time. Otherwise, they will keep themselves busy...buy diggin in the yard or ripping up the drapes. If you will spend a lot of time with the dog, that goes a long way. You said that you were in the Phoenix area. In Gilbert, AZ, there is an Australian Cattle Dog rescue. An ACD is a medium size dog that is *very* intelligent. The ACD is a herding breed, and you may have to deal with some "herding behaviors". My advice is to call the rescue, and go out and meet some of the dogs and talk with the rescuer. You can get a quick education on whether this type of dog is for you. Here is the contact information for the rescue: Shannon Stevens President & Founder New Hope Cattle Dogs, Rescue & Rehoming, Inc. Gilbert, AZ Web page: http://www.newhopecattledogs.com Email: Phone: (602) 690-8374 -- +----------------------------------------------------------------+ | Charles and Francis Richmond richmond at plano dot net | +----------------------------------------------------------------+ |
#6
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Donald Miller wrote:
This looks like a informative group. I wish to adopt a dog. I want a dog for companionship and one that would alert me when someone approaches the front door. Very few other demands: medium size any breed or mixture. doesn't have to be cute or pretty. any sex or age. I have one requirement . The dog must be smart. In the past I have had a dog that was not so smart and another that was semi intelligent. I want my next animal to be intelligent. As others have pointed out, many really smart dogs...require something to keep them mentally busy all the time. Otherwise, they will keep themselves busy...buy diggin in the yard or ripping up the drapes. If you will spend a lot of time with the dog, that goes a long way. You said that you were in the Phoenix area. In Gilbert, AZ, there is an Australian Cattle Dog rescue. An ACD is a medium size dog that is *very* intelligent. The ACD is a herding breed, and you may have to deal with some "herding behaviors". My advice is to call the rescue, and go out and meet some of the dogs and talk with the rescuer. You can get a quick education on whether this type of dog is for you. Here is the contact information for the rescue: Shannon Stevens President & Founder New Hope Cattle Dogs, Rescue & Rehoming, Inc. Gilbert, AZ Web page: http://www.newhopecattledogs.com Email: Phone: (602) 690-8374 -- +----------------------------------------------------------------+ | Charles and Francis Richmond richmond at plano dot net | +----------------------------------------------------------------+ |
#7
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Donald Miller wrote:
This looks like a informative group. I wish to adopt a dog. I want a dog for companionship and one that would alert me when someone approaches the front door. Very few other demands: medium size any breed or mixture. doesn't have to be cute or pretty. any sex or age. I have one requirement . The dog must be smart. In the past I have had a dog that was not so smart and another that was semi intelligent. I want my next animal to be intelligent. As others have pointed out, many really smart dogs...require something to keep them mentally busy all the time. Otherwise, they will keep themselves busy...buy diggin in the yard or ripping up the drapes. If you will spend a lot of time with the dog, that goes a long way. You said that you were in the Phoenix area. In Gilbert, AZ, there is an Australian Cattle Dog rescue. An ACD is a medium size dog that is *very* intelligent. The ACD is a herding breed, and you may have to deal with some "herding behaviors". My advice is to call the rescue, and go out and meet some of the dogs and talk with the rescuer. You can get a quick education on whether this type of dog is for you. Here is the contact information for the rescue: Shannon Stevens President & Founder New Hope Cattle Dogs, Rescue & Rehoming, Inc. Gilbert, AZ Web page: http://www.newhopecattledogs.com Email: Phone: (602) 690-8374 -- +----------------------------------------------------------------+ | Charles and Francis Richmond richmond at plano dot net | +----------------------------------------------------------------+ |
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