I want a dog

[anachronistic]

I really wish I could buy a dog right now. Not for my family, but for myself. I can't do that right now, because during the school year I live on campus, and no pets are allowed on campus. And I'll be in Germany for a few months anyway.

My family used to have a Scottish Terrior. We bought him as a puppy and raised him. It was originally my brother's but since he didn't take care of it, it became the family dog. I was the only one who ever took it for walks and played with it. When I first realized that I really liked the dog, I realized that I wanted a sort of companion/guard dog. I don't think Scottish Terriors are very easily trained... and it was not possible to train this dog around my family, who constantly tormented it and teased it. We did manage to get it trained to do its business outside, and I taught it to sit down, but that's all we managed to get him to do before he broke off the chain in our yard and got hit by a car.

My friend's uncle has an old retriever. It is very well behaved, very smart, and he never needs to put a leash on her. I have no idea how he trained her so well. My friend Rob just got a black lab last winter, and it behaves horribly. It shits in the car when we are going out to the river, he has to keep it tied to the vehicle otherwise it will run away! Things like that. Rob isn't good at that sort of thing anyway.

Anyway, I am thinking about getting a wolf-dog. Wolf-dogs are hybrids of wolves and canines. I think I'd want something like that, if it's tamable. If not, I'd probably get an Irish wolfhound, or a lab. I'd really like a wolf-dog though, it'd scare the shit out of everyone haha. I'd want it to follow me around everywhere, without needing a leash or anything. I think that's just a matter of treating it right, disciplining it, and all that.

Before I even think about buying a dog, I need to think about how I could fit it into my life. If I could fit it in now, I would get it now. I want to buy it as a pup and raise it... things would just seem easier that way in the long run. If I got it now, I wouldn't be there as much as I'd want to be. Maybe next summer eh? Then I will be living in an apartment with some roomies. During this school year I can ask my friends if they'd be okay with that... also look at some apartments that allow dogs. Some of them I don't know if I'd trust to leave my dog with them, they might kick it or something... haha, not if it was a big mother****er.

You know, then I wouldn't have to go fishing by myself all the time. It'd be safer to walk around here with a dog... I wouldn't need to worry about using a gun so much. I wouldn't have to be so worried about rattlesnakes or anything. And it'd give me a reason to walk around!

I am not sure if I should get a dog or a bitch...

Could anyone tell me of places where I could buy these kinds of dogs, other than newspapers and locally? I'm guessing that puppies of those breeds would probably cost anywhere from $300 to $1000... but I know nothing about prices these days. And I am expecting some answers from you Somby. I know you could give me some tips on training it.

[anachronistic]

I think I will teach him German commands, that way people who don't speak it, won't know how to command him

I can see it now...

Sitz! Bleib! Voraus! Fass! Lösch!

(Sit! Stay! Go! Attack! Kill!)

[1averagejoe]

I want misombras dogs...







and misombra.

[Citycat]

I like the fact that you're thinking thoroughly about the options, and not buying and then rejecting the animals like some people.

[boobaa]

I really wish I could buy a dog right now. Not for my family, but for myself. I can't do that right now, because during the school year I live on campus, and no pets are allowed on campus. And I'll be in Germany for a few months anyway.

My family used to have a Scottish Terrior. We bought him as a puppy and raised him. It was originally my brother's but since he didn't take care of it, it became the family dog. I was the only one who ever took it for walks and played with it. When I first realized that I really liked the dog, I realized that I wanted a sort of companion/guard dog. I don't think Scottish Terriors are very easily trained... and it was not possible to train this dog around my family, who constantly tormented it and teased it. We did manage to get it trained to do its business outside, and I taught it to sit down, but that's all we managed to get him to do before he broke off the chain in our yard and got hit by a car.

My friend's uncle has an old retriever. It is very well behaved, very smart, and he never needs to put a leash on her. I have no idea how he trained her so well. My friend Rob just got a black lab last winter, and it behaves horribly. It shits in the car when we are going out to the river, he has to keep it tied to the vehicle otherwise it will run away! Things like that. Rob isn't good at that sort of thing anyway.

Your Rob keeps his dog in the car while going out? Don't you have laws against that? From my life experience, dogs only shit in uncommon places when something doesn't like to them or they feel intimidated or insecure.
Of course the dog will run away if he has been on chain all the time, he sees it as an opportunity for freedom. Why would he want to stick around if he knows he might get put back in chain?

Some people seem to be so dumb that I actually want to jail them.

[Aegis]

Don't abuse a large dog buy getting one and then not having ample room for it to run unimpeded. People think I'm some kind of animal-hater 'cause I think dogs should live outside, but have you seen large dogs that have lived in the house all their lives? They're a pathetic, sorry sight. They get fat, "hunched" backs, they can't move to save their life...they're effectively lame, they still have the mindset of a puppy; it's disgusting what people do to them and call it love.

You really don't have the means to properly support one of those until you have a couple fenced-in acres. It's some cross between a real wolf and a domesticated dog...means basically the wolf part is a real killer and you're liable for it. You *cannot* let a wolf run around loose, and you'll ruin it if you keep it on a chain. I don't care how much you think you might "run" or "walk" it, unless it has some good open stretches to cover any time of the day, it's gonna turn into a lame duck on a chain.

You're basically a kid, and you get some crazy ideas. Don't follow up on this one, lol

[anachronistic]

Your Rob keeps his dog in the car while going out? Don't you have laws against that? From my life experience, dogs only shit in uncommon places when something doesn't like to them or they feel intimidated or insecure.
Of course the dog will run away if he has been on chain all the time, he sees it as an opportunity for freedom. Why would he want to stick around if he knows he might get put back in chain?

Some people seem to be so dumb that I actually want to jail them.

No, he chains him to the car.... that means he is outside, but he only has a certain radius which he can go around.

Like I said, Rob makes a poor owner, and that's why his dog isn't so great.

Don't abuse a large dog buy getting one and then not having ample room for it to run unimpeded. People think I'm some kind of animal-hater 'cause I think dogs should live outside, but have you seen large dogs that have lived in the house all their lives? They're a pathetic, sorry sight. They get fat, "hunched" backs, they can't move to save their life...they're effectively lame, they still have the mindset of a puppy; it's disgusting what people do to them and call it love.

You really don't have the means to properly support one of those until you have a couple fenced-in acres. It's some cross between a real wolf and a domesticated dog...means basically the wolf part is a real killer and you're liable for it. You *cannot* let a wolf run around loose, and you'll ruin it if you keep it on a chain. I don't care how much you think you might "run" or "walk" it, unless it has some good open stretches to cover any time of the day, it's gonna turn into a lame duck on a chain.

You're basically a kid, and you get some crazy ideas. Don't follow up on this one, lol

Aegis, I actually spend a lot of time outdoors. I live in the country for **** sake. Do you think I'm some kind of couch potato? *shrug*

And in my opinion, a few fenced in acres is not enough for any dog. Maybe a really small one, but not anything medium/large. That's like putting a fish in a fishbowl.

And about a wolf hybrid.... I am not talking 50/50 here. My aunt had a wolf hybrid that was about 20$ wolf, it had the amber eyes, the structure and everything, except the furry coat. It was a good dog, and they never had it chained up.

[shh!]

You are a student. This means you don't have the time to devote to a pet, which in all honesty require just as much attention as a child during their first year. Wait until you are more settled, in my opinion, and I agree with aegis that large dogs are a bad idea in an apartment.

[anachronistic]

Ye, I was having doubts about the whole apartment thing. I know that I will eventually get a dog, though, when I know I am ready to support one. I do agree that a dog is like a children. But I think a dog is more like a sibling. You have to be the big brother, they have to follow you around, and whatnot. I guess that's the way I look at it since that's the kind of role I play with my siblings.

So what kinds of dogs do you think I should be looking at? Is it easier to train a dog or a bitch? I don't necessarily want a dog with wolf instincts... but I want a dog that resembles the appearance of a wolf. Probably a husky, or a rottweiler then? I want a pretty big dog that can be highly trained.

[Kiechi]

[url]http://www.kennels.co.uk/images/W.SiberianHusky.jpg[/url]

Gorgeous.

[anachronistic]

That looks perfect!

[Kiechi]

SexC eh? Siberian Huskys.

[anachronistic]

Come to think of it back when I lived in Ohio, my neighbors had a Siberian Husky. They called it Bear. It was a damn sexy dog. It got pretty chunky though, because it was a house dog to them. It didn't have a beautiful fur coat like the one in that picture... it had a yellowish whitish coat.

[misombra]

aside from needing 99 percent of your attention for at least a few months they will be a big expense. there's food, there's toys and supplies, and the biggest bill of all is the vet bill. and if you love animals even in the slightest you will have enough money to cover a vet bill in the event of an emergency on christmas. it's a lot.

there's maintenance vet bills as well. heartworm pills, which you can't get without a heartworm test... i mean there's all kinds of examples i could give you.

you definitely do not want to big a large breed dog. no no no i absolutely forbid it. they require 150% of your time and attention. they have to be trained intensively while they are small because they will quickly outgrow you. and if they jump on somebody they will knock them down and hurt them. and dogs like to jump up on people. also, large breed, large expenses. every medication has to be doubled. food as well.

AND THEN i'll tell you about all the things dogs do as puppies...

1. they chew up everything. no matter how much you tell them no, when you're not around, destruction ensues.

2. they are not pottie trained until you train them. meaning they will shit and piss in your house and probably all over something important.

3. they whine and cry in the middle of the night and you don't sleep. they're just loud in general.

4. when you move, about 90 percent of your options on where to go are closed because you have a dog. that's just how it is if you're renting.


couldn't you just get a fish or something?

[anachronistic]

What the hell would I want a fish for?

I guess I don't understand how exactly you manage to take care of your dogs misombra. You must have a lot of experience. You have to start somewhere though. I think a siberian husky would be small enough to handle.

I know how to potty train a dog, and we never had destruction issues with the scottish terrior. I'm willing to put up with that kind of behavior though. I think I could handle it.

The only issue I'd have at this point, I think, is having time. Right now, during the summer, I have time to take care of it. But when I head off to school, I'll only have half of that. That's why I am holding off. I'm not going to get a puppy until I know I will have time for one, like I have been saying throughout the thread.