I think I'll head down to the Humane Society next month. I fell in love with a couple of those dogs just from their picture and description. Do you guys know if you can change a dog's name?
Only read the first couple pages but here is my take...
Don't know you, but you do, so be honest with yourself. Any dog left alone or in a crate for the majority of its life is a wasted pet, not fair to your family or the dog. If you don't have the time, or aren't willing to dedicate it to your dog, don't get one. Only you know if you can/will make that sacrifice.
That said, I got a Pitbull Terrier from the local shelter a few months ago and he is fantastic. 40-50lb range, no shedding or drooling at all, super friendly and fiercely protective of my family. He has no fear of anything and will certainly fight to the death to defend my lady, yet super gentle and kind to small kids. He eats like a horse and no noise or disturbance in or around the house goes unnoticed. Very cuddly and has to be near you 100% of the time.
Every dog is a puppy when you get him. Adult dogs may require more work than a puppy. There is no free lunch, your dog will only be as good or as behaved as the amount of time you spend with him. It is my opinion that if you can't devote the time to training a puppy, then you can't have a dog. An adult dog won't walk into your house and automatically know the rules and obey your commands.
Good luck in your search, hope you make the right choice.
I think we'll go visit this guy. We like the name, breed and his look.
I know that many people jump into getting a pet without really considering it. The last thing I would want to do is get a pet and then return it because I didn't weigh the cost. This is a tougher decision than having children, because this is more of a choice. I'll probably visit him and then take the family to check him out. I don't believe they allow anyone to take the dogs for a weekend or on a trial basis, so we'll certainly take our time.
Can someone fill me in on the impact a dog has on the family budget? I mean food, health care, occasional kennel service, etc?
I think we'll go visit this guy. We like the name, breed and his look.
I know that many people jump into getting a pet without really considering it. The last thing I would want to do is get a pet and then return it because I didn't weigh the cost. This is a tougher decision than having children, because this is more of a choice. I'll probably visit him and then take the family to check him out. I don't believe they allow anyone to take the dogs for a weekend or on a trial basis, so we'll certainly take our time.
Can someone fill me in on the impact a dog has on the family budget? I mean food, health care, occasional kennel service, etc?