Good Breed For A Beginner?

[Kittiee Katt]

So after being denied my pond, we've decided to get a puppy.

Okay, so it didn't happen just like that, we was planning on getting a puppy sometime in 2018 after the pond was constructed and fish had settled in, novelty wore off etc. But with the denial of the pond we've decided to move it forward to sometime next year (2017) maybe late this year, and I'm just wondering what breeds would be good to look into?

Ultimately I want a mut, but don't trust getting a mut as my first dog because I don't really know what I'm doing (I've never had a dog that was mine and not my parents and my hubby's the same) with dogs, and don't want to risk ending up with a mut that I can't control, good example is a mut that looks like a terrier but has the stubborn attitude of a pitty - I don't want this to happen, so a breeder seems like a better idea than a shelter this time, once I have some experience with dogs I'd love a shelter dog.

We should have around $1500 AUD to spend on a pup, as well as an extra $800-$1000 AUD for bedding, a few beginning toys etc, so something in this price range, also, I want an inside/outside dog, so it would be nice to get a small dog, something about the same size as my cats, who are all fair sizes at 6, 6.5 and 8kgs.
I have a decent sized yard, half of its fenced in, but the gate is only about thigh height, which worries me a bit, I might see if I can replace it with a taller one...
Also, I'd like a breed that has a good lifespan, somewhere around 12+ years.

Any tips or advice on training methods etc would be wonderful as well. I want to get everything right before I jump in head first.

Any suggestions of breeds that roughly fit the above classification and would be a good breed for a beginner?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ehh]

8kg? Jesus...

 

[ehh]

But most of your critiria is pretty vague.
Most dogs that weigh around that weight shouldn't have too much trouble living to be 10-12 years old. You'll find that an issue with very large breeds.
Long hair, short hair, energy level, exercise requirements, trainablity or how stubborn they are, common health issues...

 

[ehh]

Pedigree.com has a good dog matching quiz based on what you're looking for and your life style.

 

[Wailua Boy]

Lab mix maybe, although its larger than the size you desired. I don't know what adoption services you have in Aus but I would just go to facility and see what dog bonds with you. I personally haven't noticed any increased training difficulties with mixed breeds.

 

[Kittiee Katt]

8kg? Jesus...

Yup. Big neutered male Manx. He's not over weight, just a huge kitty. He measures roughly 19iches from neck to end (he has no tail) and stands roughly a foot at the shoulders, which are about an inch or so lower than his back end. The vets love it when he goes for a check up.

Long hair, short hair doesn't matter, my cats have both, and energy levels and exercise requirements aren't to much problem either so long I don't need to take 3km hikes twice a day, I could throw a ball for hours so it isn't to much of a problem. And easy to train breeds, that are forgiving if a novice (such as myself) messes up - doesn't give the command properly, forgets to get the treats out accidentally - that sort of stuff is what I mean by messes up. And I've never had a dog, so something that's not to stubborn.

Being prone to certain health issues doesn't bother me, my cat (mentioned above) has a condition referred to as 'Manx syndrome' so I'm used to compensating for special needs.

Any breed I consider I plan to do a lot of research into before the ultimate decision is made.

Thanks for the link ehh, I'll check it out.

Lab mix maybe, although its larger than the size you desired. I don't know what adoption services you have in Aus but I would just go to facility and see what dog bonds with you. I personally haven't noticed any increased training difficulties with mixed breeds.

If labs came in size small, a lab would be perfect.. Unfortunately they don't. My worry with a mixed breed is that I won't know what (or how much of each) breeds are in the mix, and end up with a stubborn dog that my 'noobness' can't handle.

Oh, one thing that does bother me is drool, I've got no stomach when it comes to mass amounts of drool.

Thanks peeps.

 

[Kittiee Katt]

Pedigree.com has a good dog matching quiz based on what you're looking for and your life style.

That quiz is cool, but also a little difficult because aside from size and difficulty training, I'm pretty open to possibilities. Will be spending a lot of time adjusting answers (such as exercise requirements) to see what comes up. Thanks heaps.

 

[Frank Castle]

That quiz is cool, but also a little difficult because aside from size and difficulty training, I'm pretty open to possibilities. Will be spending a lot of time adjusting answers (such as exercise requirements) to see what comes up. Thanks heaps.

We had a Lab-Shepherd mix and a Lab-Husky mix that were only around 70lbs, which to me, is still a small-medium, but IDK people look at my dogs and are like "WOW, Those are BIG dogs" and I'm just like I guess....but not compared to some I have been around.

Uhm, bully breed including Boston Terriers can be stubborn, but they don't HAVE to be, it's probably better to start w/ something a bit more obedient until you get the whole trainer bit down-pat. Off the top of my head, Irish Setter, Shiba-Inu, Keeshound, American Eskimo Spitz, Border Collie, Greyhound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Italian Greyhound, Maltese, Shi-Tzu, Jack Russell Terrier, Fox terrier, Golden Retriever, Beagle, Dachshund, Pekingese, Saluki, Welsh Corgi, Australian Shepherd, Australian Cattle-dog, Shetland Sheepdog, .......


I just brainstormed a bit - most of these don't get more than "medium dog size" at the most, but the temperaments are generally very good, loyal and obedient.....sporting breed and working breeds are know for obedience and loyalty so you might just be better sacrificing your size-preference to get a more well-tuned pedigree. Little dogs and typically annoying PIA's that don't listen for isht, IME and they have much smaller bladders and digestive tracts so you would be limited to 5-8 hours before they "GO" all over the house.....regardless of training small dogs simply CAN NOT hold it that long. I would never get small dog, nothing under 50lbs.

In closing I own several American Pitbull terriers and when they are raised around cats and other animals and well-socialized, they tend to treat them like family, as mine did. Personally I don't really think what you are looking for in a dog is commonly found in the smaller breeds, and virtually not at ALL in Toy-breeds. Find yourself a small Working or Sporting breed and I think you'll be happy.

You strike me as a Siberian Husky type-of-girl......or a Malamute, or Spitz........or perhaps and Akita even?

When you pick out a dog, it kinda picks you. I never let size or weight decide for me....I just get the one I like and deal with what comes after.

 

[Red Beard]

Fix the gate and get a Whippet.

 

[Kittiee Katt]

We had a Lab-Shepherd mix and a Lab-Husky mix that were only around 70lbs, which to me, is still a small-medium, but IDK people look at my dogs and are like "WOW, Those are BIG dogs" and I'm just like I guess....but not compared to some I have been around.

Uhm, bully breed including Boston Terriers can be stubborn, but they don't HAVE to be, it's probably better to start w/ something a bit more obedient until you get the whole trainer bit down-pat. Off the top of my head, Irish Setter, Shiba-Inu, Keeshound, American Eskimo Spitz, Border Collie, Greyhound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Italian Greyhound, Maltese, Shi-Tzu, Jack Russell Terrier, Fox terrier, Golden Retriever, Beagle, Dachshund, Pekingese, Saluki, Welsh Corgi, Australian Shepherd, Australian Cattle-dog, Shetland Sheepdog, .......


I just brainstormed a bit - most of these don't get more than "medium dog size" at the most, but the temperaments are generally very good, loyal and obedient.....sporting breed and working breeds are know for obedience and loyalty so you might just be better sacrificing your size-preference to get a more well-tuned pedigree. Little dogs and typically annoying PIA's that don't listen for isht, IME and they have much smaller bladders and digestive tracts so you would be limited to 5-8 hours before they "GO" all over the house.....regardless of training small dogs simply CAN NOT hold it that long. I would never get small dog, nothing under 50lbs.

In closing I own several American Pitbull terriers and when they are raised around cats and other animals and well-socialized, they tend to treat them like family, as mine did. Personally I don't really think what you are looking for in a dog is commonly found in the smaller breeds, and virtually not at ALL in Toy-breeds. Find yourself a small Working or Sporting breed and I think you'll be happy.

You strike me as a Siberian Husky type-of-girl......or a Malamute, or Spitz........or perhaps and Akita even?

When you pick out a dog, it kinda picks you. I never let size or weight decide for me....I just get the one I like and deal with what comes after.

Considering I only weigh 38 KGS (85lbs?) a 70lb (30kgs?) dog is nearly as big as me. And as much as I'd love malamute (dad had one when I was a kid) I just don't think it would be sensible to get a "beast" capable of killing me as my first dog, because if I mess up somewhere along the lines with training... Well, let's not go there shall we?

Don't get me wrong, I realise that any improperly trained dog can be dangerous regardless of size, but I feel like it would be easier to try and stop a small terrier from killing me than it would be with say, a doberman.

Fix the gate and get a Whippet.

Its funny that this was brought up, as we've been playing with this idea, thinking whippet or miniature labradoodle as both are readily available from reputable breeders where I am.. I still have plenty of time to work out what will work with my family etc.

Thanks for replying peeps.

Post Script: my weight conversion may be a bit off.