# looking for a dog



## brezilian (Apr 21, 2012)

hey guys i really want a medium or large dog and i will trade fish and equipment for a discount. i want a spayed/neutered dog looking for an akita, pitbull, bull terrier, doberman, german shepherd and the likes. i would like something cheaper being 14 and all so ya any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

Go to the SPCA or pound or mission rescue society. There's lots who need a home. Best in mind all those breeds come with huge responsibility and liability. Fenced yard, exercise, training, able to comtrol etc and good neighbours.


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## Nicole (Nov 21, 2011)

Just make sure you're ready to take on the responsibility of what April said above including walking it multiple times each day and picking up after it, not to mention vet bills are expensive so make sure you can cover those in case anything happens. In the first month of getting my dog, it broke it's arm costing me 3 grand for the surgery but it's been great ever since. So good luck, a dog is a man's best friend!


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## sunshine_1965 (Aug 16, 2011)

April said:


> Go to the SPCA or pound or mission rescue society. There's lots who need a home. Best in mind all those breeds come with huge responsibility and liability. Fenced yard, exercise, training, able to comtrol etc and good neighbours.


It would also need a mature responsible owner. There is lots of expense to owning a dog that size. A good quality dog food will cost a minimum of $75-$100 a month. Then any vet bills for shots and stuff.


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## Lamplighter (Aug 3, 2012)

The SPCA wont sell a dog to anyone that's 14 and neither would I. A large dog might live to 14. 14+14=28 

How can anyone 14 project that far ahead. There's college and so forth. Further you might not wan't to stay with your parents/guardians one day. Finding accommodation when you have a dog is difficult. 

It easy being a pet owner these days. My fellow was in and out of the animal hospital and it costs $$$$$$$. Then there's dog food that will cost a pretty penny.

Sorry for being so NEGATIVE it's not in my nature but reality is reality.


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

stick to fish , dont gotta walk em , cant smell there pooop, and silent,
and brez quit fronting you know you want a purse poodle lol..








sorry side note by while i was looking for a pic to bug brez about look at this invention i found online.. this thing i am about to show you shows how sad the world truely is ..







<< now were stopping them from walking ever??


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## Scherb (Feb 10, 2011)

April said:


> Go to the SPCA or pound or mission rescue society. There's lots who need a home. Best in mind all those breeds come with huge responsibility and liability. Fenced yard, exercise, training, able to control etc and good neighbors.


I totally agree with April. Good luck with you search.


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## Vman (Jan 20, 2011)

No offense Brez,but you are looking for a dog that is intense and needs a firm hand.Anyone of these breeds can pull you anywhere they want and you can not do anything about it.Akita is a very dominant breed which isn't best with other dogs.Pitbulls are going to be way out of your league. Bull terriers are not first time dog owners and can be extremely stubborn.German shepherds needs to be mentally challanged as they are very intelligent.Out of all these breeds you could maybe deal with a Dobie,but its still too much of dog for a kid.Seems as if you like the tough dog look. These tough looks come with responsibility. Your dog will be judged because of the way it looks.


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## brezilian (Apr 21, 2012)

okay ya i understand what would you recomend ive handled great danes and boxers that my friend had and they seem to be docile enough


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## ddcool (Jul 31, 2012)

a retriever or mix


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Definitely wouldn't start with a Doberman. I own two currently, and had another before that. A very stubborn and intelligent breed indeed.


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## brezilian (Apr 21, 2012)

good to know


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## Pamela (Apr 21, 2010)

Have a look at Pet adoption: Want a dog or cat? Adopt a pet on Petfinder , they have animals listed from the SPCA and lots of rescues.


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## clintgv (May 6, 2010)

macframalama said:


> stick to fish , dont gotta walk em , cant smell there pooop, and silent,
> and brez quit fronting you know you want a purse poodle lol..
> View attachment 12428
> 
> ...


But you can't get exercise with keeping fish. Unlike dogs you get to walk them everyday and get some exercise. And plus you get to play with them. They are like humans hahaha. 
Only down side is food and vet shots are costly. More costly then fish keeping.

But if the OP still wants a dog, I would suggest something more less aggressive and not a pitbull or doberman. Pitbull you will need a setting in your backyard. high fences and a cage for the pitbull to stay in in the backyard.


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

lab crosses r also usually good natured


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

Did you read all the problems a fellow member has had with his neighbours and his pit bulls? Friendly ones but they have a stigma. 
A lot of the big dogs at the SPCA came from younger adults who couldnt keep them due to accommodations. 
Or dogs who don't get enough energy burnt off then have excess energy and get in trouble. However if your parents are willing to commit and help while your at school then that helps. Dogs who are left at home all day by themselves cause destruction or barking. 
Do your research and select a dog that fits the while families lifestyle. 
Also be aware of grooming needs. Another large expense. Breeders tend to downplay how much grooming they need. They also tend to say there breed is the best as they believe it , being biased. 
Whichever breed you choose call a few grooming shops and ask how much grooming and how the breeds temperament is. Believe me , groomers who lift, clip, brush, etc see temperaments of breeds. 
One big dog that is gentle is a Bernese or mastiff. Slower energy level and gentle giants.


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

if you want just a "buddy" dog may i suggest a jack russel, there like a big dog only with the frame of a small dog. my buddy tim has one and its like his co pilot and is just with him everywhere. they go anywhere , do anything , but they are not massive , and are full of energy and are really neat dogs all in all. my buddy got his dog for super cheap off of some breeder because tims dog was too tall for some show that jack russels go to , regardless its a cool dog and there not gonna break the bank and you wont need a stable to house them.. ]


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

I'm assuming a couple of things here, so please correct me if I'm wrong?


You're living at home with your family, so your parents are OK with the dog idea and it's been discussed with them? If you're bringing a dog into the house, EVERYONE needs to agree, not just one or two people, or it's not fair on the dog.

You've got the money or a part time job to cover the costs of vet bills, good food (others have noted the cost above), licensing, TRAINING and some to put by for emergencies.

You've never owned a dog before this, and this would be your first dog.


The first thing I would do is sit down with your parents/family and discuss this. Who will take care of the dog, what is the budget for care, food and training, and where does the $ come from, what happens if there's an emergency? A dog hit by a car can run you into thousands in vet bills. I'm a big fan of pet insurance for emergencies like that, but it's still not cheap.

A dog is at least a 10 year commitment, often more. At 14, you need to think seriously about what your plans for the dog would be if you go to university or college in a few years, move out, or otherwise have a major life change. What will happen if you leave home and move to a "no pets" place? What happens when you go on vacation?

*Second, go out and volunteer as a dog walker at the local shelter or SPCA. They are always desperately in need, it's an incredible help to the dogs, it's free, and you will get to interact with TONS of different dogs which is the best way to determine personality fit. You will also get lots and LOTS of great, free advice from people who work with these dogs. Do this for AT LEAST 6 months. *

Dogs take a huge amount of time and energy. I love our dog to bits, but she needs to be walked twice daily, have a good run at least 4-5 times a week or more, and she needs attention and affection. We always have to be aware of leaving her alone too long, which means always planning ahead, and we've cancelled vacations because we couldn't get care for her.

The breeds you listed initially aren't necessarily good first dogs, because they are strong willed and need good firm handling and TRAINING. Lab crosses and Retrievers are more forgiving and cooperative, and are just as great as pets. My boss has a black lab who is the sweetest dog I have ever met.

I'm going to stress this again, because to me it's incredibly important: The first thing you need to budget for after food and vet bills is training, even if you adopt an adult dog. We've got a Rottweiler/husky cross, and we put 2 YEARS of obedience training into her. Best money we ever spent, it trained us as well as the dog. She is a large, strong dog, extremely protective of me, and without training she would have been a nightmare to handle. And when I say training, I mean real dog training. Not just you and a book or a DVD, but actual formal obedience classes.


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## BaoBeiZhu (Apr 24, 2010)

If you really like pitbulls, I would advise you to adopt one from SPCA. they have many many and TOO many to choose from.
but they need alot of training, as they are a very humble breed. 
but if trained right, they are the most loyal dog I ve ever owned.


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## brezilian (Apr 21, 2012)

@ elle. 1. im currently discussing with my parents and family
2. ive currently got some money and trying to get a job
3. i halve a family dog but its a small dog thats really lazy and i want a bigger fairly active dog.
so far we live in a dog friendly/allowed place and my parents dont rent houses they buy so we should be okay for that area for now. and my awesome neighbours are always willing to take care of our dog. and i would love to volunteer at the bcspca if my parents let me do so. usually their is someone home at all times but when there isnt we get our neighbours to check on the dog periodically. and yes i agree labs are amazing my neighbour has one. and i will consider formal training.


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## Foxtail (Mar 14, 2012)

Brez, all the dogs you listed are "working" dogs, meaning they need to have a job... If they don't get to "work" every day, they get weird. Like how blue heelers are bred for herding cattle. They have the built in urge to herd things... If I were you I would find something like a miniture austalian shepherd... Looks like an austrailian shepherd but half the size and not a herder... That or a mutt

Sent via the Shining.


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## brezilian (Apr 21, 2012)

i would definitely consider a mutt


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

+1 on the working dog thing, even if it's a mutt. With working dogs, if you don't give them something to do, they will find something themselves. And it will likely NOT be something you want them to do! Border collies, Aussie shepherds, German shepherds, Rotties, Jack Russells are all high energy working breeds, and it comes out even when they are crossed with another breed. Some dogs like huskies and malamutes are super high energy and also have a very high prey drive, and may not be trustworthy with small dogs if they haven't been properly socialized to the idea that "small and furry" does not equal "prey". That's definitely something to watch if you already have a small dog. 

Sasha (our pup) is a high energy cross of 2 working breeds, and she definitely needs a job or she gets bored and crazy. She also has a high prey drive and we have 4 cats, so we had to be very careful to socialize her to cats and small dogs. I actually did some herding training with her to channel the husky instinct to chase and use the Rottweiler herding instinct instead. I've got horses, so she had to have good livestock manners - no chasing, and call off on command. What saved us for exercising her enough was using the "Chuckit" so she could learn to chase a ball instead of cats/dogs/squirrels/etc. A tired dog is a happy dog.

SPCA shouldn't be a problem, but they may want your parents to sign a volunteer release for you. It's lots of fun - I did it for a while when we lived in Burnaby before we had a dog.


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## BaoBeiZhu (Apr 24, 2010)

^ what elle said.. 
same goes for my male pit, if hes not being walked enough he will start chewing the walls, shoes w.e. that will entertain him..


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## Nicole (Nov 21, 2011)

Hopefully you can get some experience elsewhere because you need to be at least 16 to volunteer at the bc spca.


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

look brez you dont need to pass a pop quiz to get a dog, you dont need to be a volunteer anywhere , just use your head, common sense is king in the world of pets, there is nothing wrong, abnormal about wanting a dog, just know there alot of work, and more often than not alot more work than you think, just do alot of reading about different breeds and find one that suits you and your lifestyle, big dogs little dogs its all the same thing , its just about what is gonna fit you better, i was bugging you earlier when i said you wanted a purse poodle but truth be told i used to have a shih tzu and it was the coolest little dog ever, it doesnt have to be a doberman to be cool, who cares what it is , you of all people a hybrid enthusiast should care about a dogs pedigree or lineage, its all about personality my friend... 


but I still think a jack russel is the biggest bang for your buck, im not a dog person infact i really dislike dogs in general however , im a realist and my kids are one day gonna want a dog , and if i had to pick a dog based on my personal exp i would pick up a jack russel, my buddy tims dog is awesome , and it wasnt like overnight but his personality and his listening skills are unreal... 

just a bomb proof lil pooch thats down for anything, that being said there like high energy and need some room to run so if you dont have a similiar need to burn energy then it may not be a good match for you , 

do whatever your gonna do ,just read alot ahead of time.. and then make your choice...


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## Lamplighter (Aug 3, 2012)

A Malamute is the way to go. You don't have to worry about a barking dog. Mind you they like chewing when they are teenagers. But you know what? A dining room table can stand on three legs and a sofa doesn't really need three cushions. Also if you want to celebrate X-mas in July leave a couple of feather pillows lying around. Did you know that a dog can turn a house into something that looks like a winter wonderland by opening the pillows.

Great dogs!!


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## brezilian (Apr 21, 2012)

haha that sounds fun but my parents would kill me if that happened


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

> A dining room table can stand on three legs and a sofa doesn't really need three cushions.


However, it's pretty hard to use that 3-legged kitchen table when your dog has also eaten 2 legs off each of the kitchen chairs. Yes, this is from personal experience! She destroyed both the table AND the chairs, just to be thorough.

I would also like to state for the record that given an equal opportunity to choose between a $50 cell phone and a $450 cell phone, a teething puppy will always choose the more expensive option. This is due to *Murphy's Law of Pet Destruction*.


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## Lamplighter (Aug 3, 2012)

The pillows were family heirlooms, needlepoint made by my great grandmother. I couldn't believe my eyes when I got home and there were feathers from two pillows, everywhere.

My Sheltie chewed up my camcorder they cost somewhere around $2,500 17-18 years ago. It was actually my favorite dog. Clever dogs!!!


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

and thats why i dont like dogs lol... and lizards stink , and birds are noisey and messy, which is another reason to love fish.. silent, relatively mess free, oh yeah did i mention SILENT haha i have enough animals <the kids> making noise over here, trickling water is soooooooothing in comparison good luck with your hunt brez..


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## Emily (May 4, 2010)

Brez, I am late to the party but wanted to chime in as I have worked with dogs and am very familiar with breeds and behaviour.

You listed several breeds - doberman, german shepherd, pitbull (which by the way isn't a breed, but rather a 'type'), etc. Why those breeds? They are all quite different in regards to temperament, coat care, and exercise requirements. This leads me to think you may have been gravitating to them because of their looks or reputation, which is *not* a good way to pick a dog that best suits you. If you are serious about getting a dog, I would highly recommend that you take a step back and think through what is important to you in a dog. Grab a pen and paper and come up with a list of your preferences for size, exercise requirements, temperament, trainability, coat upkeep, etc. Once you come up with that, THEN start looking at breeds again. Narrow your choices down to what fits your list. From there, then you can go about looking to contact breeders and rescues. 

There are a few other points in this thread I wanted to address. 

'Pitbull', dobermans, and GSDs don't need a 'heavy-hand', and that term does them a disservice. What they need, along with virtually every other type of dog, is a dog-savvy owner who puts in the time to research their breed's characteristics. For example, if you are looking into getting a doberman, it is really important to know that dobes are prone to same-sex aggression. This does not mean they need to be trained in a harsh or domineering way, it simply means that an prospective owners need to be aware of this breed trait and prepared to address and deal with it when/if it crops up. While some breeds may be more forgiving than others of handler mistakes, it is incorrect that some need harsher training methods. 

A young person is absolutely capable of handling more 'difficult' breeds, and in fact I know some young people that are much more successful with their dogs than their older counterparts  That being said, the OP does not seem to be particularly knowledgeable about dogs, and for that reason I highly, HIGHLY encourage him/her to put off getting a dog right now and instead invest their time in doing the appropriate research and gaining more experience. Before I got my dog (who is a high-needs, intense, competitive breed) I spent countless days, weeks and several months doing lots of reading and googling. Brez, the internet is your friend. If you are serious about getting a dog, start googling.

There have been a number of breeds suggested that range the entire spectrum of types. OP, figure out what is important to you and decide what will fit that best. Another major point you need to consider is the financial aspect. In medical expenses, my retriever mix cost me almost $5000 last year. These things happen, and you need to have an emergency medical fund for the dog or get insurance. Also, as someone else mentioned, a decent food (NOT what you buy at the grocery store or the vet) will run you at least $70 per month, and that's being conservative. So while dogs are awesome companions, they are also a significant financial burden and need to be factored into your life for the next 12-ish years. As a 14 year old, it's difficult to know where you are going to be in 12 years, so for the sake of the animal, make sure your parents are on board to care for it should you move into a place that doesn't accept pets. 

If you have any more questions or concerns, feel free to PM me. I have a lot of experience, and have been working with dogs for a while. I also have some contacts in the dog community and could point you towards some good breeders if you decide to go that route. Oh and speaking of breeders... If you like the idea of going through a breeder please, please spend a MINIMUM of an hour doing online research into what makes a good breeder. That is so incredibly important and is so much more than putting two 'nice' dogs together and raising the puppies in a house.


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## Vancitycam (Oct 23, 2012)

Oh wow you guys have some trouble maker dogs, im so glad mine is the one that can be home all day no accidents no chewing no barking. she is a amstaff/ridgeback from the pound with lots of training and she is the sweetest softest dog even with my niece and nephew she is gentle when taking treats and everything the works you know but she is stubborn and too smart for her own good and tough on the leash when she wants to get squirrels so you have to be dilligent with strong dogs. but on the negative side the dog has skin allergies and food allergies so its pills in the morning and pills at night + vet food that is 100+ per bag at almost 2 per month also when accidents happen with the "active" dog you were talking about ours blew her knee just runnning laps off leash in the field that was 1600$ and that was discounted because the mother-in-law works at a good vet hospital so our dog has almost cost us $4000 this year alone they are a big commitment


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## dino (Aug 29, 2011)

you seen like a intelligent kid so i would say do the research and do what works for you. go over everything i was in my mid twenties with my own place before i thought i was responsible enough to own a dog and still thats hard at times


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