My boyfriend is really wanting a new dog and I think I’m ready to take the plunge and get a dog together with him. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, and the more I have thought about it, the more I have been wanting another dog. We do have some constraints to think about, so here they are:
-Must be less than 40 pounds, to satisfy our landlord/lease.
-Must do well in a kennel for long periods of time while everyone is away at work for the day (our current dog Dotti is kennel trained and does quite well with it, for example)
-Must get along well with our other very easy going and friendly dog (and preferably won’t try to kill my cat either)
-Would prefer it to be calm/easy-going, not having a tendency to tear stuff up, scratch at stuff, dig, etc. Basically a “lazy” or “boring” breed if there is such a thing.
-Should not be a yipper type of a dog (no Chihuahuas, for example)
I don’t know anything about different breeds and it’s kind of overwhelming looking online so I was really hoping someone here might be able to take our constraints into consideration and make some suggestions. Thanks so much, in advance!
Many of your criteria will be met with a non-puppy. The best place to get an adult dog is through a rescue, which is always at the top of my list in the first place.
Go down to your local animal shelter or rescue, tell them everything you just told us. If they’re anything like our local shelters, they will know exactly which dogs will fit your criteria.
I was going to suggest that. Rescue folk often keep their dogs in foster homes rather than in a kennel and have a very good idea of the dog’s behavior. An adult dog, or even an elderly one, is more likely to be what you’re looking for, so don’t be surprised if that’s what they suggest.
This isn’t a you-must-always-adopt thing, it’s more that these people are really, really good at matching people and dogs and should be willing to take back a dog that isn’t working out. If you’ve got pretty specific requirements, this the best way I know of to not get burned.
My boyfriend’s other dog is a rescue, and rescues, even older ones, are fine with me too! I will talk to him about going to some shelters since that seems to be a good way to find a good match
You might not find one at a rescue place, but a Vizsla might fit the bill. I have several friends with these dogs, and they’re great. You’d have to go with a female to meet the weight requirement.
My Chihuahua doesn’t yap. (I just got him 2 weeks ago, yay.) He does make a snorty sound and he’s very snuggly and quiet, except for right when I get home. Then it’s usually one bark. My other dog barks much more.
My first thought would be Basset Hound but I’d definitely try a rescue organization first and get a mutt. Historically my purebreds haven’t lived very long and have had health issues.
While I like Vizslas, the idea they would meet the
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[li]Would prefer it to be calm/easy-going, not having a tendency to tear stuff up, scratch at stuff, dig, etc. Basically a “lazy” or “boring” breed if there is such a thing.[/li][/ul]
criterion is difficult to imagine. All the ones I have seen have been relentless, driven exercise machines.
Greyhound - maybe too big, but that’s why Whippets exist. I heard they can be fine with cats if raised with them, but outside their prey instinct may be overpowering.
Vizsla - are these even easy to find!?
Springers are fine and I imagine Cockers too if you want something smaller. I cannot imagine a Springer who is under 40 lbs though.
All my experience is mostly with Dachshunds. They have big manly voices for their size, and may try to gum the cats’ ears but won’t try to hurt them. They’re very, very, stubborn assholes, though. Lots of energy, not as much endurance. Can be lazy as hell. Like crates.
But also assholes, did I mention that?
You didn’t say what breed the other dog was, although I would guess some unknown mix?
If you want calm, quiet, non-diggers - don’t get a terrier. I love mine more than I can possibly say but my back yard is a disaster area and he is always starting shit with the other two dogs. He’s just so damn cute about it though!
I wish I could tell you Holly’s breed because she’d be perfect but she and her sister are such well-established mutts that they don’t even look like the same breed even though the came from the same litter.
The most lazy, relaxed, and easy-going dogs I’ve ever heard of are mastiffs but that might be a bit of a size problem for you. thelurkinghorror over the last few weeks I have heard so many people call their dachshund an asshole! Of course, they’re usually grinning and snuggling with said asshole at the same time. I’ve also heard that their paws are called shovels. True?
I’ve never heard the term, but they have big flat digging feet. I don’t mean they are jerks who like to be mean, more like sometimes Mr. Hyde gets released. Waking them or getting too close to “their” property (that you willingly gave away 1 minute ago) reduces then to growls, then teeth-bared snarls. They can draw blood from someone they were previously snuggling. Most vicious breed, according to one survey (#2 Chihuahua, #3 JRT). Also, I guess some choose a favorite human, and will treat every else as an invader. We’ve never had that problem, thankfully. They’re fine dogs, you just need to treat them a special way.
Oh, and we have a cat who is the definition of an asshole. Some cats are crazy, and bite and scratch. No, not like that. He is a cold, calculating asshole.
Happy Update everyone! We just got back from Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP) in Houston, and we have a new member of the family! He is a 1 year old Beagle/Mix named Stitch:) Very energetic, lots of fun, especially compared to our other lazy dog. However, he is kennel trained and is used to spending long amounts of time in a kennel, and seems very, very relaxed when he is in his kennel. He doesn’t like going into it on his own though, so we definitely have some training/obedience tasks to master in the upcoming months. But we think he’ll be very good for our other dog who tends to be super lazy on her own but loves to play with other dogs.
Here are some obligatory pictures! Thanks all for the advice everybody
A tip for getting him to go into his kennel more willingly is to have a special toy or chew that he loves that he only gets when he goes into the kennel.
