Preliminary dog research

In My Humble Opinion
1

We are getting a dog. When exactly? I don’t know, but I’m being led to believe that it will be soon.

Now, to be fair, it won’t be my dog, but I’ve been asked to help take care of it. There are no small children in the house and we live in a house with a fenced backyard, and we’ve had a dog before but that was 10 years ago. It was a neighbor’s dog and already came trained, so we didn’t really get much choice in the matter on picking or raising it. This will be the first opportunity in which I will have some input on what kind of dog to get so I want to be ready.

I want to make sure that my sister knows what she’s getting into. While I would play with the dog, I’ve told her in the past that it is her responsibility and even though she’s a nurse now, it will mainly be her that will be taking care of it, I’m mostly in it for the petting and belly rubs. I’m not really that mean, but I just want to make sure she knows what she’s in for before she gets one. Plus, I don’t want to get stuck with any bills or anything like that by her choice. If she wants one, that’s great, but she should be able to take care of it.

I’m going to sit down and talk to her about getting one soon. Before all the stuff about how old, or where to get it, or what breed, I’m going to give her the worst case scenario: the dog is sick and has medical issues, how much are you willing to spend on it? I think that is something many people are not prepared for and I need to make sure she understands its a living being we’re taking care of now, not something we can stick in the closet when we get bored of it.

After that, I’m going to ask her what type of training she plans on getting for this dog, if she’s going to do it herself or send it to an obedience school. Of course I’ll ask her to research how much it’ll cost and stuff and how long it’ll take. We used to have a Chow that could do tricks, but she still bit, so I don’t want to go through that again.

With that out of the way, we’re going to talk about how much it costs for regular dog upkeep. Food, toys, vet costs, and housing (we cannot have the dog be an inside dog, parents would freak out). Also, our old dog wasn’t really walked or washed often, we were too young to make that a priority so it was kind of restless and stinky. I want to make sure that if we wanted to have the dog inside, we can for the most part. We’ll probably have to send it to be groomed once in a while, depending on what kind of dog we end up with and how shaggy it is.

One reason why I didn’t want to get stuck with a dog to take care of is that I rarely have time to take it out for exercise or walks, and to be quite honest, I don’t like doing that at all, so I refuse to be part of it. If she’s getting the dog, and knowing her activity levels, I would probably recommend something that doesn’t need daily exercises and walks.

Finally, I know its more humane to get a rescue dog, but we haven’t talked much on what exactly she wants. I would of course prefer a cute one, something like a Shetland Sheepdog, or a Golden Retriever. She mentioned she liked Corgis. Well, we’ll decide that later.

So is there any other major thing that a new dog owner needs to figure out before we run off and get one? Also, would it confuse the dog if I called it by one name and she calls it by another?

2

How old are you and your sister? You’re both still in the house with your parents? I don’t understand the parental freak out comment…

Of course the dog would be confused by two names. Why on Earth would you do something so weird?

The many points you bring up are entirely valid, especially the money and daily routine. Emergency vet bills can run anywhere from $300 to $2000 and up depending on where you live.

3

We are 32 and 23, yes we still live at home, and my mom is slightly afraid of dogs and my dad is a bit of a germaphobe. He sneezes and thinks he’s got allergies or is sick, so he would not want a dog inside the house most of the time. For our last dog, we did have her sleep inside when it wasn’t summer, but my parents would always shoo the dog outside if it pried open the screen door and got in.

I like weird names, and my sister’s probably going to pick a normal name, so I figured I can just call the dog what I want and let her have her name as the official name.

We live in Los Angeles.

4

In your situation, I would suggest looking for a small dog. Looks like the SPCA in LA has a good number of Chihuahuas especially, but also other kinds of small dogs:
http://spcala.com/adopt/
I mean, just look at this cute little guy! :slight_smile:

One reason I suggest a small dog is because it sounds like exercising the dog might be an issue. The really little dogs like Chis can often get enough exercise running around the yard or house and don’t need the kind of intense exercise that a big working dog like a collie or shepherd would. Of course, there are certainly big dogs that are not active and sometimes the small dogs are hyper, but in general small dogs can be exercised more easily than the big ones.
With a dog-fearful person, well, a small dog is also a lot less scary to most people than big dogs are. :slight_smile:
Perhaps your folks would be more open to having a small dog indoors since a small dog tends to make smaller messes and can’t reach the toilet bowl to drink out of it. Some breeds don’t shed a noticeable amount (like the poodle and bichon frise, two breeds I notice the SPCA has right now).
I have a poodle mix myself, and we definitely prefer taking her to the grooming every few months over trying to clean up dog hair.

Another nice thing about a small dog is that they eat less (lower food costs), and frequently live longer than big dogs (often twice as long as the giant breeds).

5

Honestly, it sounds like you shouldn’t get a dog. Your mom is afraid, you dad won’t like it, you don’t sound like you want it… sister should wait until she has her own place. Not to mention, what if she gets this dog and decides to move out? That should be in the cards soon, right? Well, now she has to find a place that takes dogs, and she has to have a dog deposit.

It just sounds like a terrible idea. There are so many red flags about this. Please, don’t get a dog.

ETA: why not tell her to start with a couple small, low maintenance pets, like rats? That way she can get something cute and cuddly, get used to the responsibility, but they don’t make messes everywhere and they are cheaper. Plus, many apartments let you have small caged animals without a deposit, and they don’t live more than a couple years. It would be something to tide her over until she has a more stable situation.

6

If only it were that easy. She’s the one who wants the dog and this isn’t the first time she’s wanted one. In the past, I’ve been able to talk her out of it, mainly by saying many of the things I’m planning to say this time, and adding that its her responsibility and I won’t be forced to help her. That’s usually discouraged her. I feel bad about it, but I don’t think she’s ready for one. However, for one reason or another, this time I think she’s serious, so I want to at least plan this out in case she goes ahead and does it.

My mom isn’t too afraid of smaller dogs, and I think anything smaller than our last Chow should be fine. She was bitten by a dog once so it’s not just a paranoid fear. My dad is gonna have a problem with it, but he’ll just have to deal with it I guess. I’m pretty sure that if my sister’s gotten this far in making up her mind, my parents are at least not obstructing it.

7

You don’t “send” a dog to obedience school, by the way. Obedience training is predominantly for the human end of the leash – a consistent leader should be able to get decent results out of most dogs, and most dogs only need their human to learn how to be a consistent, humane leader. People do sometimes “send” their dogs and not go themselves, but it does little good. None at all if you’re not familiar with dogs in the first place.

I’ve had terrific success using Dr. Ian Dunbar’s method. It’s all over the web in slightly different forms; you can Google it. Here’s one version. The key is providing (non-violent) feedback so that the dog learns that biting hurts.

It was designed for puppies but I’ve used it on a somewhat older, semi-feral dog with total success (I was surprised how well it worked.)

It’s completely feasible to have a dog who will never bite anyone under ordinary circumstances, but it’s a lot more likely if you know how to read dog body language and are consistently humane and mindful of how to deal with dogs, not losing your temper or taking the dog for granted.

8

Moving to IMHO.

9

Ok. Clearly you are getting a dog as soon as sis gets tired of him. And you need a small dog so mom doesn’t get upset, and you need to keep this dog away from dad, and since it initally bonded with sis, even after you’ve spent all day playing get the ball he’ll forget about you as soon as sis shows up (for a while anyway). And you’ll have to take him to the vet and pay the bills.

Um, why did you want a dog again?

10

I got to the part where you said you’d pretty much not give a shit about the dog. And then the part where you think outside dogs are preferable. And that they are like toasters, to be fixed and repaired as needed.

Please don’t get a dog.

11

I’d suggest a Virtual Pet, but that would have to be an inside dog.

12

Under your circumstances please don’t get a Sheltie. We have one. They are sweet, devoted, loving dogs who tend to be anxious and bark a lot. Most would not like being shooed outside away from their family and it will stress them. They shed a lot, which sounds like it would be a problem. They’re great dogs, but probably not a good fit for your circumstance.

13

A dog is not a thing. A dog is not even a “pet” in the sense that a turtle or a tribble might be considered. A dog is a family member. A pack member.

A dog no one wants to interact with is, essentially, a prisoner.

14

YogSosoth, I’m having trouble believing you’re serious.

Please heed the excellent advice already posted: Don’t get a dog, OK?

After reading YogSosoth’s post, I understand this article better:

No Pet For You

15

Dogs are social creatures. They are pack animals and NEED interaction - either with humans or another dog. I truly believe some solitary backyard dogs eventually go insane, like some human prisoners in solitary confinement. If your sister works full time as a nurse, she might be happier with a cat, or, guinea pig, or something of that nature. Some type of pet that requires less time & commitment. Dogs are such a big responsibility & can be a 10-15 year commitment. She could also volunteer to foster a dog for awhile & see if she’s ready to commit to ownership.

16

I have to go along with not having a dog if it has to live outside.

I will say if you get a puppy, make sure it is 7-8 weeks old and still accepts new things well.

http://www.apdt.com/veterinary/assets/pdf/Silvani_JF05.pdf

Note, they use positive methods too. Forget Ceasar Milan, Don Sulivan, Koehler, etc.

17

Please don’t get a dog.

18

It’s all very well to say that it’ll be HER dog, HER responsibility,but dogs aren’t cars or computers - they interact with the whole family whether that family likes it or not. So even if your sister takes the dog to obedience classes, you will all need to learn basic obedience handling too. Dogs don’t come having read the manual, and teaching a dog to be a good companion can be hard work. It certainly takes dedication.

I think if your sister really wants a dog, she needs to find her own place to live first, or make sure the whole house is really and truly on board with taking in a new family member. Even a small dog can cause quite an upheaval, and small dogs especially should not be kept outside.

As it stands, I say no dog. It would not be fair to the dog for sure, nor to the other people in the house.

Would she go for a rat (very trainable) or a rabbit or a guinea pig?

19

The most major thing is that a dog is an absolutely terrible choice for your family. Abysmal. Most of the household is going to be rejecting it constantly, and the part of the family that wants it doesn’t really seem to have the time or inclination to care for it properly. It’s horribly unfair to the dog.
And I agree with IvoryTowerDenizon: please don’t get a Sheltie. Ours is the best dog we’ve ever had, but they absolutely love their families (thus, not a dog that’s going to be happy with being shooed outside) and are much, much higher maintenance than you have in mind.

20

That’s not a bad idea. That way, if (IF!!!) the whole “dog” thing works out, she’s got one already, and if not, hopefully, the dog will quickly find a more suitable new home, and she’ll have learned an ultra-valuble lesson.