I really like the way you think. 
(Talking about dogs left outside alone most of the time)
From their behavior. They’re aggressive with people and other animals, they bark excessively, chew on themselves, dig up the yard, and chew up the doghouse, etc.
You’ve said what you’re willing to do with a dog. What’s your sister willing to do? Has she done anything except say ‘I want a Corgi’? Has she done any research at all?
I love you.
Be aware that corgis are a large dog in a small(ish) package. They are intelligent, can be bark-y, and are used to having a job. Also know (or find a way to relay to your sister) that many working breeds NOT given a job to do will make one for themselves. And you probably won’t like what they choose.
Again, whoever it was above that suggested daycare is brilliant. A corgi who went to doggie daycare a few times a week and was walked and played with at home the rest of the time might be a workable option. But ya gotta keep it up until they get old enough to slow down a bit, like 10 years or so.
I’d actually love to hear what Sister has to say, without Brother’s translation. She may in fact be a fabulous dog owner, despite the rest of the family. We only have the OPs opinion that Sister won’t stick with the responsibility, after all.
I don’t know if this is another one of your “jokes” or not, but yet AGAIN, obedience school is for YOU to learn how to deal with your dog. Not your dog, not your dog sitter, YOU. If YOU think it’s too much work…DON’T GET A FUCKING DOG.
And I think a cat would be a bad idea as well, since there’s no way you can depend on a cat to act like you want it to. Cats are even more unpredictable than dogs.
Just don’t get a pet, unless it’s a hamster, or better yet, a goldfish. This whole thread is disgusting.
Is your yard fenced in with a solid fence or chain-link fencing? The craziest, barkiest dogs in my neighborhood are the ones that can’t see out of their yards.
This is still IMHO, so let’s dial the anger back a bit and try to avoid wishing death on poster’s family members, thanks.
Take it to the pit thread if you want to put your rage to 11.
No, leave even* that* dog at the pound. It might stand a chance at getting adopted by a family that is quasi-sane.
And this is coming from a guy that got pitted for (by some people on this board that are apparently superior beings as well as de riguer dog experts) “allowing” my 95lb boxer dog Riley, the only dog that I truly ever loved, have a lengthy seizure due to his epilepsy for a few hours when I had my very young kids, no car seat and no ability to transport the dog to an emergency vet.
To this day that’s the only time I have ever been pitted and its a really depressing subject for me. And I am now saddled with two *other *dogs that belong to my ex but I care for them because they have no place else to go and I refuse to allow them to go to a shelter. Plus my boys love them and play with them, so I wipe the muddy paws, feed them, shelter them and tell them they are good when they deserve it. I also pet them. Its not hard to give a dog some basic attention, OP. If you’re going to be “stuck with it” like I am with mine (as I don’t particularly want them here, their fur, I work a lot, they poop in the house sometimes, etc) then you damn well better be a human being about it and give the damn animal the basic attention it deserves to have a reasonable life.
A dog can also dig its way out under a fence sometimes.
Talk about misplaced priorities. A 32-yr old is worried not about moving out of her parents house but getting her own dog?! Wake the f**k up! It’s time to be an adult! :dubious:
I think sister would be happier with a Tamagotchi.
Your sister doesn’t want a dog; she wants a toy, something that can be played with for a couple times a week and then shelved. But as everybody else has already told you, dogs are not playthings, they’re living, breathing creatures with social requirements. And I mean requirements, not suggestions or recommendations. More than anything, pet ownership is a two-way street, where owners lavish their animals with care and attention, and in return have an animal that is absolutely loyal and loving and will return ten-fold the attention it receives.
So, if I were you, I’d recommend to my sister that she make herself aware of what dog ownership entails before she puts any further research into finding the most adorable breed. With that in mind, here are some suggestions:
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Call a local no-kill shelter and explain your situation exactly as you’ve done here. Ask if a volunteer would be willing to speak to your sister about their experiences working at the shelter and their history with pet ownership; better yet, if it’s possible to arrange a “guided” visit to the shelter, where a volunteer can explain in black-and-white terms why in your sister’s situation pet ownership is a totally bad idea, that would be even better.
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Contact a local obediance school and explain your blah, blah, whatever. Ask if the trainer would be willing to entertain your sister during one of their more hectic group-training sessions. Furthermore, while you’re there and in the company of your sister, inquire as to the trainer’s expectations for his human students; e.g., how long should we be training the dog every day (at least an hour), how long should we walk him every day (close to an hour), and is leaving him outside unattended for long stretches of time a good idea (no, it isn’t).
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Acquaint your sister with the realities of dog ownership, from the small things, like cleaning up his shit and having a yard polka-dotted with yellow urine burns, to the big things, like vaccinations, socialization ( here meaning taking him to the dog park regularly and socializing him with other animals, which is essential), expensive illnesses, and behavioral issues that are sometimes unavoidable even if the utmost care is taken to avoid them. Go to the library and find some books about dog ownership. That’s a start.
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Make it clear that she’s on her own with the animal, and that you’ll be doing nothing to assist her in the animal’s training, and whatever.
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After doing all of this and more, if your sister still purchases a dog, be prepared to intervene at the first sign of neglect and have the animal taken to a no-kill shelter (if at all possible) or adopted to a loving family. DO NOT IGNORE THE ANIMAL’S SUFFERING BECAUSE OF SOME MISGUIDED LOYALTY TO YOUR SISTER. You have a moral responsibility to ensure the well-being of this animal, because whether you’re willing to admit it or not, once the animal is living with your family, it’s a family member. Do the upstanding thing, please.
There aren’t any dogs of that kind.
Regards,
Shodan, who inherited a 75 lb. German Shepherd, is a veterinarian’s son, and knows whereof he speaks.
Don’t. Get. A. Dog.
The OP says his sister’s 23. He’s 32.
He’s not worried about moving out either.
If your sister is absolutely insisting that she will get a dog is there any way you could convince her to let the dog sleep in bed with her at night? That way the dog would get some contact, however minimal, and not be left in the yard alone 22 hours a day. If the dog is mostly in her room that should keep it from causing any problems with your dad and his potential allergies as well. Our dog loves to sleep curled up between my husband and I every night so I imagine your sister’s dog would probably love to sleep in bed with her too.
With this it might be worth mentioning to her that dogs sleep a lot and an older, calmer dog would probably be very happy asleep next to her feet while she chats online or sitting on the couch with her while she watches a movie. A dog could spend a few hours outside running around or hanging out while she is at work and otherwise be right by her side indoors without too much of a problem. This would be much, much better for the dog and still be relatively low maintenance outside of the expected feeding, walking, grooming, etc.
Your sister would be better off with a cat. Seriously try and sway her in that direction. If she goes down to the HS she could check out the young adult cats not a kitten. This way you check out their personalities and pick out the affectionate one, the one that likes to be picked up, sociable etc. Cats aren’t as fun as dogs but they do have their own personalities and would be perfect for your house hold.
You mentioned the main reason why she wants one is so that it will make her spend more time at home , more family oriented ? You realize she’s going to get bored of that right ? Obviously you don’t care whether the dog is going to be happy or not, but I suspect you may start caring once it’s starts tearing up your house because it’s never walked. Dogs that aren’t walked or ignored no matter the size eventually behavioural issues will develop.
I’m planning on getting a dog. I’ve been planning it for awhile, but what’s holding me back is that I’m single and live in an appartment. So i’ve planned to get a breed that bests suits my lifestyle. But it still bothers me that it will be alone 7 hours a day, 5 days out of the week. But I plan to walk it in the morning before work, after work and before I go to bed. It also means no more going out with the boys after work for a few beers. I have to go home and walk my dog, and I’m actually getting a car just for the dog. Because knowing their pack animals, I want to take him with me as much as I can.
Try and convince her to get a cat.
Just out of curiosity, why would a 23 year old want to spend more time at home with her family anyway? Most 23 year olds are either already on their own, or eagerly planning for it.
I know that you’re frustrated that people aren’t giving you the answer you want, but that’s because it’s the wrong answer. There are no healthy well-adjusted dogs that prefer to be left alone. Dogs are not like people. They don’t amuse themselves with their deep thoughts for hours a day. They need company and attention and stimulation. Best case scenario in the situation you describe is that you wind up with an unhappy dog with no unmanageable behavioral problems, and that’s pretty damned unlikely.
I adore dogs, but I don’t own one, because** properly caring for a dog is a lot of work**. They’re like perpetual toddlers. They need to be trained and fed and bathed and walked and played with and often supervised, lest you find yourself constantly pulling stuff out of their mouths (or later, their asses) and when there is a problem, they can’t tell you what it is, you’ve gotta guess.
It doesn’t sound like your sister is really prepared to do all that, and I really, really don’t get why you believe that her ridiculous childish impulse is something that should be indulged at the expense of everyone else’s peace and happiness. Tell her to grow the fuck up.
Another thing is that when when dogs get bored they don’t just sit around and mope. They’ll bark incessantly. They’ll dig holes in the yard, chew on things (yes, I know, it’ll have toys outside – that still won’t stop the barking). They’ll probably try to escape – and even if your yard is fenced in, it may try to dig a hole under your fence.